Pain Don't Mean a Thing
by ookami-san
Summary: after 8 years kagome's abusive father has returned bent on revenge, kagome at eightteen doen't remember her father or any thing before age ten.the wells been sealed and now she begins on another deadly adventure. inuyyh crossover. hieikag
1. Calm Before The Storm

Hello! Welcome to Pain Don't Mean a Thing! This will be my real first fan fic. At least by my standards, because it was pre-written down. I'm not telling who's with who, but I need you guys to vote on pairings! The vote will last till I get chapter 3 up, which could take awhile. So without too much further ado, I don't own a thing but me. So …. I'm sorry if you are one of the people having problems reading this due to cut off. ……………….if you are my suggestions are copy the whole story into word and then read it but do not save …………………! Thank you now ….

…………………Everyone: ON WITH THA' SHOW!

Chapter 1, Calm Before the Storm

'Higurashi is my name! Not Akitomi!' I pleaded with my self as I ran. It felt as if hell was at my very feet as my mother cried out to me.

"Take the paper Kagome! Run away hur…."

My mothers voice was cut off when a dull smack rebounded through the desolate house, followed by a loud thump that shook the wall it came from.

Loud footsteps made their way to the door. I ran. I flew down the stairs caring little for my health, besides if my **_father_** caught me I'd be in much worse shape.

I was at the bottom as footsteps tumbled after me, **angry** footsteps.

I had everything I needed on my charm bracelet.

I ran out the front door, it's old hinges protesting the force and speed that where of the essence, to the tree of life, the Goshinbuku.

Under it's far side lay said paper weighted down by 4 small rocks.

I bent down, midrun, my fingers caressing hard ground. I grabbed the paper and with an extra burst of speed made it to the top of the shrine steps as Aku flew out of the door the rage clear on his face for the whole world to see.

" Get back here you little wench!"

He screamed as he once again charged after me. My body gained new speed as I rushed down the shrine steps 4 or 5 steps at a time.

My feet touched level ground, I absorbed the shock not stopping, and continued to run tears burning my eyes. I ran blindly around the corner. I hit something blunt. The collision tipped me off balance and I crashed to the ground, I closed my eyes, as if it would keep away the pain. Sharp pains roared through my body the shock of the collision held me to the ground.

My fear welled up inside me.

Would he catch me? Did I run into him? These thoughts tortured me.

I looked up. Suddenly my sixth sense came to life, this man was a demon, a short demon but a demon. It was actually sad that he was taller than me. He…he was half yet not. The demon smirked, never a good sign.

His face quickly regained a Sesshomaru like aloofness.

" What are you running from human?"

His voice was cold and harsh and yet behind his eyes lay a depth of…. sadness? He mocked me behind those eyes too, they all did, they all thought she was weak, always!

" Heh, I don't really know." I replied. I really didn't, I could fry my dad's ass if I wasn't so damn scared of the guy.

" Get back here you little bitch! You leach! You whore!" Aku screamed after me the sound engulfing the night. " I will find you!"

I cringed he was so close.

" That perhaps? " the demon poked fun at me.

" Yes, though I don't really know why." I replied the sadness laced trough me voice smothering the sarcasm. He looked on stonic as ever. My father skidded around the corner. Seeing me he stopped and caught his breath.

" You can't run forever! You have nowhere to go!" he screamed.

" Yes. I. Do." I ground out bluffing. The well had sealed it's self weeks ago, after we killed Naraku and completed the jewel.

" Where!"

" Wherever this paper says!" I screamed back.

** Hiei's pov **

This man was beginning to piss me off. He reminded me of someone in my past that I hated very much. I decided to shut him up. I walked up to the man who unfortunately for him did not pay attention to me but merely regarded me as in superior to him, bad choice.

Normally I would have killed the human for his insolence but that damn Koennma had banned me from such on penalty of 300 more years of community service. I balled my hand into a fist, then I walked up behind the ignorant man who had subsided his yelling to a death glare match with the girl.

' Stupid ningen.' I thought as her eyes opened wide in shock realizing what I was going to do.

The man finally sensing me behind him or maybe sensing the threat I posed began to turn around. The woman's eyes became determined. " Go to hell you bastard!" She screamed stepping up to the man. The anger in his aura flared. He completely forgot about me and raised his hand to strike the girl. For some reason this angered me. I struck the man in the back of his head sending him sprawling to the ground. She bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you demon. What is your name?"

' demon! How dose she know that I am a demon? No normal human should be able to tell! This woman, Koennma would need to know, but that would mean I would have to take her to yuske's house.' " Hiei." I muttered. The woman would want to know name if I was going to take her to Koennma. " well Hiei my name is Kagome." She bowed again in respect. At least she was more knowledgeable that her father in respect.

The woman looked down at the paper that she still held. She glared at it. After about a minuet of glaring at the paper like an idiot her eye's widened in surprise as her knees gave way. "Hmph." I caught the woman before she killed herself on the pavement, then Koennma would be really mad. The paper that fluttered out of her hand oddly caught my attention. From what I saw it said:

_Go to yuske's house he'll know you……_

the rest of the note was obscured from my vision as it fluttered off into the night. Yes I would take this girl to yuske's house. She had something to do with him that I did not know about.

Yuske did not have many friends and I knew **_all_** of them.

**Kagome's pov**

Urameshi, where had I heard that before? My forgotten childhood! It had to be somewhere in there! I delved into my mind searching my memories. After about 45 seconds I came across a barrier……it felt…hard….almost tangible.

I wasn't gonna let that stop me!

I rammed into the barrier ion an attempt to break it, a searing pain tore through my mind. I clutched my hands to my head trying to stop the pain. Agonizing waves of pinpricks tore through me, ripping my mind to tatters. My vision blurred and my toung filled my mouth so I couldn't speak. But the last thing I remembered was that the barrier broke.

My legs gave way as long forgotten memories surged forth and enveloped my mind reuniting me with myself. I was out before I didn't hit the ground.

**Hiei's pov**

I hoisted the woman over my shoulders. This was not my idea of fun. I threaded my way through the ningen streets and buildings and found my way to yuske's house. I jumped onto the darkened window sill of his bedroom. The window was open.

**Kagome's dream thingy**

the feeling of the returning memories was something to the effect of a dam the has been established to hold ten years of memories suddenly no longer existing and flooding my mind, drowning it, so more or less so I was drowning in an ocean of memories more memories then what I already had.

This over load along with the horrible mind killing **_painful_** ,

well pain is why I had blacked out. My memories seemed to come in reverse. The shrink! That damn shrink had erased all of those memories! Yuske and father both! This movie was just so confusing. After my mind numbing action/ horror movie had played itself out my sub-conscious absorbed it all and it was as if I hadn't skipped a beat…..

_**well ,almost.**_

My body then became very aware of my outside world, courtesy of my sub-conscious once more, I was well aware that I was racing through the air, and that two somethings,

two _very** strong**_ somethings,

where keeping me from losing our impossible speed and from plummeting 100- feet down to the not so forgiving concrete. Then we not –as- quickly- descended to about 20 feet and promptly stopped, midair and everything. My more **_rational_** side figured that we where most likely **_on_** something. 'Whoever "we" is' I thought. I sensed a great deal of more energy **_on top_** of the already incredibly strong person that was holding me, **not good!**

** the all-seeing+ knowing(in this story at least) authoresses pov **

Kagome woke up ,fully aware of what was happening.. Kinda, in Hiei's arms. Quite wide awake too. Thinking something along these not so vague lines of

' crap, this is really gonna' suck!'

Kagome opened her eyes in that all to cute an desperately hopeful way. Seeing it was Hiei she relaxed, for some reason she felt….calm.. well considering what happened as calm as can be, and completely ignoring him

(which didn't go unnoticed mind you)

and turned to the second person/ power source in the dark room who was, for the record, just about half way **everything, half** way in bed,** half** awake, **half** angry at Hiei for waking him up, and 3/4ths of the way surprised to find Hiei in his room with a girl in his arms which didn't last to long. Kagome's eyes became saucers and her body became limp and heavy. " Yuyu?" she barely whispered in a bewildered tone, sounding something like a broken record. Hiei taking notice of the dead weight in his arms dropped the weight. The girl plunked to the ground not even registering the fall. Yuyu, as she called him, also stood there…..**asleep**. Kagome's eyes dropped into annoyance. " Yuske …" She asked her voice so sweet and deadly it had put Sesshomaru on guard many times. " **TEA PARTY PICTURE.**" her voice was now a whisper laced with dark amusement.. something she belied to have picked up from Naraku. Yuske shot out of the bed, and straight down the middle of his head his hair stuck straight up making him look like a deranged cockatoo.

"WHAT! WHERE! GIVE IT TO ME! DON'T SHOW ANYBODY!" he yelled frantically

** Kagome's pov **

Actually I had burned the photo a log time ago but it was still funny. Hiei smirked devilishly. Yuske gazed at Kagome his eyes wider than saucers.

"Ka…Kagome?" He asked unsure of himself.

"Yep!" She replied in a perky tone that was at a new level of disguise.

" Bu- but that sh-shrink!" Yuske stuttered.

"Yhea right Yuyu! Ain't gonna' happen!"

Kagome walked to the window gazing at the blue/black sky that killed the stars she missed so much. Kagome was correct in her 20 feet assumption. 'good.' She thought.

"Yuyuke…" She paused to let the meaning of the new name sink in.

'Oh no something's wrong, kags don't call me that unless it bad, real bad…' Yuske thought in worry fully realizing the meaning. Hiei on the other hand was utterly lost. Seeing this she continued,

" **_HE'S_** back." There was a sense of desperation in the girls,

voice one that was lost and scared, one that was broken.

" You, you don't mean…" Yuyu stammered.

" Yes, I do, Yuyuke." Kagome said cutting him off. " Can I stay here for awhile Yuyuke?" the desperation seeping deeper into the voice of the miko. She continued to look out the window not letting them see her face. Not that there was much to hide but they couldn't see what she was planning to do it would ruin everything.

" Of course kags!" Yuyu yelled in a and-why-would-I-say-no? kind of voice." Good, then I'm off to rescue mom." Kagome started to jump, Yuske caught her before so much as her head was out the window. 'He's gotten faster, much faster.' Kagome thought in response.

" Hell no Kags! He'll just hurt you more, **_I'll _**go!" Yuyu declared.

" **NO." **Kagome growled out. Turning to Yuyu. " I'm not weak! I will go you will stay! If Aku see's you he will come after you, your family and friends to get to me! You will not be seen by him! I will not be the cause to loose any one else! I am not just some weakling who will cower behind your protection and watch you get hurt for my sake!" Kagome finished her rant and the anger in her aura flared dangerously high. But, Yuyu never being one to back down, fought just as hard.

" NO. You listen to me Kagome,

I will not stand idly by and watch him hurt you or any one else in my family! I haven't seen you in 8 years and suddenly you show up saying the one biggest threat in your life has come back and you expect me to just let my cousin go gallivanting off on some little air of power and heroics! To hell with that! I will go you just stay put!" Yuske yelled back his anger radiating off in waves that only fueled Kagome's anger more.

" Do you want them to kill your family!" her voice was high and shrill.

"He will kill you Yuske without remorse! You and your family, your friends! Kayko! Do you want her to die because of me! I don't care about the heroics! I won't send you to your death I won't condemn anyone else! If he dose kill me then he'll do it while I get my family out and away if you go and he kills you then he will come after everyone you have ever known and loved, then he will come after me and my family then where would we be? Huh? Where! Six feet under all of us that Wouldn't do any of us much good now would it! Your friend here might be a demon but he can't hide from Koennma if he kills a human in self-defense of you or himself!"

Kagome finished her second rant by stunning the hell out of everybody.

She stunned her self by letting those tid bits of information go, hell she didn't even know if Yuyu knew that Hiei was a demon, let alone anything about Koennma.

Yuske and Hiei where stunned that she knew about Koennma let alone Koennma himself!

Kagome took this time to escape backing up to the window and whispering final good byes.

" Please Yuyuke wait for me I will return don't come looking for me,

I won't be bringing my family back it's to dangerous, if you must help meet me at the air port. Kagome had a serene smile as she fell out the window with her back to it. Both boys jolted out of their stupor from her stupid actions rushed to the window. That jump was suicide on a platter! She would crack her head on the pavement before she could flip, and the shock would be to much even if she did land on her feet she would surely break something!

Mwar so that's it for now I won't tell you if Kagome kills her self this early but if she dose I'll tell you that with her mysterious connections with Koennma she would be brought back. I can't believe I'm finally done!

Let me explain something since you guys are probably wondering a bout the names.

When Kagome and Yuske lived together as cousins (Atsuko was broke so kags and them took them in) she was too young to actually say his name (she was3 he was 2) so she just called him Yuyu, then when some tragedy emerged she tried her hardest to say his real name and only got Yuyuke so that's the 2 names and their meanings.

Oh and the tea party picture,

consisted of a 5 year old Yuske in a 6-year-old Kagome's sun dress having a tea party with Kuwabara, Kayko and stuffed animals. It was meant to be a joke against kags by making fun of her girly ways but kags just happened to have a camera….. And the credits roll! so see you next time! **_Ja ne please review!_** Thanks for readin'! Ookami says bye!


	2. Push It When Thiers Pain

Disclaimer: if I owned would I be writing this? No? Didn't think so…..

Hello! Welcome to Pain Don't Mean a Thing! This will be my real first fan fic. At least by my standards, because it was pre-written down. I'm not telling who's with who. So it's the 2nd chapter! I've been' 'threatened' that if I don't I will be annoyed by someone but I am the queen of annoyance therefore I do not get annoyed. (Which is completely true) welcome to chapter 2,**_push it when theirs pain. _**I have a few shout outs

angeldemon45678: thank you so much and I really like your story to. **This chappie is dedicated to you guys who reviewed. **Oh and don't worry about the whole messed up Com thing!

gcdv : there is absolutely no way you could annoy me.. I am the **_queen_** of annoyance. But thanks for the vote of confidence it really helped when **_very few people actually reviwed out of so many_** so thanks.

Ryukotsusei: oh yhea you bet he's beyond. Thanks for reviewing! Now,

EVERYONE: On with tha' show!

** Kagome's pov ** I had the momentary sense of vertigo 

As I feel from the window my hair rushing past my face. I fell into a back flip using the force of the fall to carry my hands towards the ground. Then using my own force propelled the rest of myself so I landed on my feet and recoiled so I didn't absorb the shock into my body causing damage. I placed my hand on the ground and pushed of the cement in sync with my feet shooting my body forward into the night as I ran.

The wind rushed past me as I ran through the night, it cooled the flushed face the exhilaration had colored red. The cold was refreshing but it also stung like millions of needles. I knew Yuyu wouldn't leave me to my own devices and would probably send the demon after me. Blackmail most likely thou he could have changed,

'No, not likely'

I thought as a smirk graced my lips. Bingo that Hiei guy's aura was headed for me. He was quick too, faster than sess-kun by a mile… I could normally run much faster than I was at the moment and thou speed was definitely of the essence, I still hadn't quite recovered from my fathers beating nor being so shook up about his reappearance and you know the whole my-entire-family-is-in-danger bit wasn't helping and the memory rush just stacked the odds. I ran down the rode in the back of my shrine. I turned the corner. 'He's gone!' my father was no longer lying on the corner.

"Oh kami!"

I whispered my eyes probably bugging from my head. My speed increased ten fold as I jolted to the house fearing for my family's safety. Pain wracked through me as I pushed my body to excruciating levels "MOM! SOUTA! GRAMPS!" I yelled screaming thou my shrine as I ran up the many stairs. My feet only grazed the ground as I went. I burst through the front door hoping to not see Aku there. My mother walked out from around a corner sporting bandages on the right side of her face. I let out baited breath I didn't know I held.

Of course if I hadn't been so preoccupied with my euphoria of them being ok I would have noticed the way her right arm stayed behind her back or the blood that clung to her skin peeping out from the hems of her clothes ( oh foreshadowing) or the demonic aura that smothered the house, perhaps the smell of Kikyo of death and fatal blood.

But no, I Kagome Higurashi the greatest miko in 500 years, who could time travel and the soul bearer and protector of the Shikon no Tama, didn't catch a blink of it.

I closed my eyes and held my breath until I my face felt the pinpricks of my lack of oxygen. I let my breath whoosh out. My breathing became rapid trying to regain the loss of oxygen and reestablish homeostasis within my body.

Out of nowhere my mother came at me and Kagura came from behind the same wall as mother had. Mother's hand finally moved from her back to reveal a long slender _pointy_ kitchen knife. She seemed like a puppet dancing in this deadly dance of cat and mouse that was silently raging between us.

_Now I noticed _the blood and gore of course the fact that Kagura was here would warrant the reason this was happening. And her eyes the where so haunting dull, lifeless, they reminded me so much of the clay pot the one who tried to drag her past lover to hell so many times and tried to kill me as well trying to pull me along for the ride.

Is this what Sango felt when she faced her brother when he was controlled by Naraku? Helpless, desperate, utterly lost as to what to do? My mom lunged at me her aim was some what low and she was hunched over. I jumped over her back placing my hands flat and twisting over her like a vault. After my little 'routine' I landed flat on my feet facing my mother as she turned around.

" How does it feel Kagome?"

Kagura asked maliciously apparently enjoying twisting the knife.

"Naraku sends his invitation to re-live the past."

Kagura snapped her fan shut and my mother dropped to the ground but instead of pulling her feather from her hair and returning to the pits of hell that she was derived, she pulled her fan the other way and switched the attack of her fan. Her arm moved in an arcing across in front of her sending her wind blades attack. Taken by surprise I did nothing. My emotions got in the way and froze me as the blades shot toward my body.

The attack ripped through my small and frail body as the momentum carried the me across the room then slammed me into the floor. The crescent shaped blades disappeared and I stopped sliding across the rough carpet, my head only inches from a very blunt table leg.

Blood flowed freely from the wounds I had with each heartbeat.

'Nar…. Naraku's back but I … I still have the jewel!' I thought in a hazy state of determination.

Hiei's pov

Yuske and I watched as the woman did her little twirls and ran off into the night. She was impressive, for a human that is, not even close to me.

"Hiei!"

The fool yelled. Finally registering what had happened.

" Follow my cousin!"

Hmph! As if! I would not take orders from some stupid ningen whether I worked under him or not! Let alone follow some filthy ningen. I growled out my defiance. Earning a hard glare form Yuske that paled in comparison to my own death glare.

" You heard what she said! I can't go and from what I know she finds ways to get herself into the worst of trouble! You wouldn't want me to go and things play out as she said, would you?"

Blackmail. Kagome was straight on the dot.

" If you weren't right I would kill you human."

I growled out. Letting my empty threat hang in the air. I couldn't kill the fool even if I really wanted to stupid Koennma. With that thought I raced through the window. The onna reached the shrine before I had gotten even a block from the place. She was fast for a human. As I entered the property I sensed death and a demon on the premises. I smelled blood and fear thick in the air. And yet somehow the onna's aura was relived.

ANYONE would have noticed the smell even a child. This woman was almost happy, what a fool. The demon's aura was still in the house!

'Crap!'

There must be a breech in the barrier! Koennma would need to know. Suddenly the demon's aura flared and she attacked Yuske's cousin most likely. Yuske was right the woman seemed to be in more trouble than needed. I used my speed crashing through the window. The demoness was not expecting company and was thrown off guard. It was a simple task to kill the intruder. Her head rolled to the ground her expression still had a smirk while her eyes where slightly bugged.

The scene in the small living room was enough to make any human cringe. Me, no I had seen worse, much worse.

Yuske's cousin picked her self up off the ground, not that she went far before she collapsed to her knees in front of the demoness's head. Her eye's where wide and unbelieving. This confused me a great deal which in turn annoyed me but why? When this woman threw the fact that she knew I was a demon with out inside info like a trophy yet here she was staring at this woman like any other unbelieving-narrow minded human.

" Oh god."

She whispered.

" He's back!"

What the hell was this woman talking about! Suddenly she stood up. Not a wise choice. In the same moment she fell down and unconscious.

"Damn it all!"

I growled. This woman had questions to answer and she blacks out! I slung her over my shoulder and carried her……

** At Genkai's Temple **

** Authoresses pov **

Yukina sat in front of Kagome and a bright blue light engulfed and surrounded both. The blue glow that surrounded the 2 was slowly pulled into Yukina and slowly dimming in the process. Yukina breathed out a sigh of relief and then quickly excused herself and left.

Kagome's eyes fluttered open, groggily pulling her back into reality. Suddenly she jerked upwards to a sitting position.

" Shit!"

She cursed rather loudly, startling Genkai's and Hiei with her sudden movement. Hiei growled in annoyance. She searched herself for something instantly putting the other peoples in the room on guard. She pulled out something that was strikingly similar to one of Koennma's communicators thou this one was silver. She flipped open the round object and as soon as a face appeared on the screen a face with an overly chipper voice.

" Why hello la…"

The voice was cut of by Kagome yelling into the device.

" PORTAL, NOW!"

she growled pretty well for a human. Not to soon after a black hole appeared from nothing dead center of the room. One that was oddly similar to Botan's portals. Botan (come on you knew it was her) stepped out of the portal with a very confused face.

" What's wrong lady Kagome?"

She asked as Kagome stood up and took a few steps toward the portal, she paused before entering it to regard the question. She breathed out one simple word as if it scorched her very toung.

" Naraku."

And then she stepped through the portal leaving Botan in the room. Botan's eyes went wide with surprise.

" Oh dear, Hiei you better come along your going to be needed"

Hiei stood up and walked through the portal soon followed by Botan who had a dazed look on her face. The hole closed up and Genkai was left alone in the room.

Maybe I should leave it there. Hyper active muse and sub-conscious pick up sharp painful implements oooooor not…..

Koennma's office

Kagome stomped into the office startling Koennma from his work-induced nap. His head snapping up, sleepy surprise in his eyes(hey that rhymed) Hiei came through the portal, followed by Botan, and went and sulked in a dark corner. Kagome reached Koennma's desk and slammed her fist against the hard wood, toppling a few stacks of paper that floated down and away unnoticed.

" Get your little A-team up here Koennma. We have a huge problem!"

'Hmph!'

Hiei snorted in his head, big problem? That demoness was easy enough to kill.

The child ruler just blinked at her apparently shell shocked.

"NOW!"

The disgruntled miko screamed once again hitting the desk and disturbing even more papers.

" R-Right Kagome. B-Botan!"

he stuttered shaking in fear of the angry woman.

" Yes sir!"

Botan popped through the already cleverly made portal to retrieve the reitantei (sp?).

Kagome's hand rested in a nicely formed crater fitting her hand like she had made it…which she had.

Hiei was confused, his face shaped into a perfect sculpture of helpless confusion. Hiei soon recovered his mask slipping his demonic reserve into place.

The room fell into silence and Kagome glowered in her spot.

Botan's portals appeared, 1 of them dropping an _angry_ Yuske into the couch Hiei was almost hiding behind. The 2nd one dropped the baka, next to the swearing Yuske, on the couch in a very ungraceful way.

Another portal then opened level to the ground instead of above the couch, which save whoever it was humiliation.

Kagome's pov

I quirked an eyebrow as my cousin fell from the portal, somewhat lightening my dark mood. The baka soon fell after him and I instantly recognized the foolish cat-lover.

Soon after another red headed boy walked through a diferent portal. The fox demon soul that resided in him was one that was as old as Sesshomaru would be in this day and age. He was as cute as the koormie, but in a different way.

His hair was wet and matted, showing that he had recently taken a shower. He had on black leather pants and a white tank, for some odd reason or another he was wearing gloves, high elbow gloves, which by all right made him even cuter. (The others where wearing their normal attire)

He sat down on the couch in between the to grumbling ningens.

Koennma cleared his throat gaining the attention of the 2 boys.

Yuske's eyes went wide as he recognized his cousin in the spirit world…

Ok so that's all for now!. If you want to see a picture of Kurama the way I described him then go to webtrain. then go to the mindless chatter link the pic is at the bottom of the page. Here's a song I put together for this story really it was just a thought in the wind.

Pain don't mean a thing…. song title

Pain don't mean a thing when you're soulless

Cause you can't feel it

The only things that reside are the tears of yesterday

And the pain you caused to make me go away

I suppose that means I contradict myself

But I don't care I don't care

Leave me alone

** Chorus **

I'm the snowman burning away in hell

Can you hear the screams

The ones that you caused?

You burned me to the stake

And left me to rot

Pay back's a bitch,

And then theirs me

I'll come to hunt you down

do you hear me?

Do you hear the screams and the cries

And the tears that silently fall from these eyes?

Can you see me?

Writhing in pain?

The torture that I reside to?

I'm melting away

But the ice is closing in

All that's left is the fake laughs and smiles

And that's what my friends see and they think I'm all right

And I'm fine and happy

That's my act

I'm slowly losing myself

The pain is so horrible

And terrible. cause'

I don't feel I can only cry and read the pain of others

And I help them so they won't be me the one I hate more than you

But I can't hate you because

I can't hold a grudge worth

But I can hate me till the bitter end

the silent crimson that flows from my eyes

and the hand that write these lyrics are nothing of me

cause' I am no longer a person or even tangible

**Ookami says bye! **And the credits roll! **_Review plz_** I _will_ hold chapters ransom… well not really but they encourage me to pick up the story! No seriously I will not write.

CONTEST:

Anyone who can annoy me will get an entire chapter of this story dedicated to them. Each chapter gets only 1 dedication so it's like an insurance of another chapter! This will continue for the entire story!

And all my stories for that matter….. emailing is ok.

_**BEGIN! **_

_**And the credits roll…… Ja Ne.**_


	3. Passing The Personal

Hello! I made it! Chapter 3: Passing the Personal.

Ok so not the best title

But OK for the fact that I flipped to a page and said hm… I guess this will work.

You'll understand later on in the story.

Disclaimer: ……….. if they where on ebay I'd be ibuy but their not LEAVE ME ALONE!

I don't deserve this torture! ok so maybe I do. THE FOOD FIGHT WAS NOT my idea!

my original chapter title was. No Need For Protectors and Flashbacks… like a Tenchi Muyo thing.

I figured out this word thingy even more! So no more middle font bit.

This chapter is dedicated to my little sis cause I'm about ready to leaver her in Naraku's jurisdiction! I cannot read in this house……. :ahem:

If you look at my profile you'll find out why I ain't goin' into details, thank you.

Know one who actually has tried to annoy me! Common guys! CONTEST…( chapter 2)

I'm gonna have my own version of Omake theater at the end, just something that popped into my mind after lion king and my little sister needing to become one of Naraku's right hand woman for her skills in ANNOYING HER BIG SISTER WHEN SHE"S READING!…….:ahem: right….

EVERYONE(minna): On with tha' show!

**Chapter 3- Passing the Personal.**

** Yuske's pov **

"Wha- WHAT THE HELL! Why is my cousin HERE!"

I blurted/yelled out. Effectively startling Kurama and Kuwabara. Kagome sighed and rubbed her temple, hopelessly trying to stave off the pounding headache that would, no doubt, come into full force Very, very soon.

I turned to Koennma and glared like there was no tomorrow,

Which there wouldn't be if he didn't give me the right answer.

"Why the hell is my cousin here, Koennma?"

I asked my voice a deadly calm, low, menacing, threatening, and above all a tone of promise, the promise of death.

A tone that was all but uncharacteristic.

"Well Yuske,"

Koennma began.

Kagome held her hand in front of the mini monarch (lol) motioning for him to stop speaking. Not that anyone but, Koennma, himself and, Botan, caught the silent threat of instant purification if he where to continue,

He didn't.

"Not. A. Word."

She bit out her voice cold and icy, akin to, Sesshomaru's, normal tone, cold, hard, relentless, and powerful, the air of authority and superiority.

And that little toddler zipped it to! (Yuske)

Naturally my attentions turned to my cousin.

"You're not dead are you!"

I paused a moment letting my own words find root in my brain.

**RED FLAG!**

"Wait, Aku, didn't….."

I trailed off letting my mind run away with me for a moment to picture horrible death scenes akin to the things I had seen on my countless missions, suddenly my mind snapped back to reality, somehow

"You didn't let her get killed did you, Hiei!"

I snapped at ,Hiei. Refocusing myself of the half-pint demon. My anger swelled in me with a burning sensation that coursed through my very soul.

"EVEN AFT-"

"Shut up detective." He bit back. Stopping my rant as it begun.

The temperature in the room dropped a good 40 degrees, affecting everyone but, Hiei, and seemingly my cousin.

"I did no such thing."

Hiei, was obviously unaffected by the glare I shot at him, while his seemed to pierce my very soul. Small pinpricks sprinted down my spine.

' hmph, jackass'

Kagome sighed, rubbing her temple faster.

"Calm down, Yuske."

"Calm down? Calm down! How the fuck do you expect me to' CALM DOWN? When my CoUsiN is staring at me in SPIRT WORLD!"

I blew a gasket, and a big one at that.

And, Kuwabara, (as only he would) would've sweared that WW3 had begun; of course it was pretty one-sided for a worldwide war.

"Because the cousin that staring at you in spirit world _tells _you to. That's how you calm down, Yuske.

Or at least quiet your yelling, you're giving me one of those ' dealing with arrogant, ignorant, insensitive, overly loud, jerks' headaches. I haven't had one in months and I'd like to keep it that way shall we?"

She said this all with a deadly calm, the same one I had used earlier yet somehow it conveyed a feeling of annoyance and cold uncaring, it seemed to say. ' Peace & quiet or Pain & quiet you choose.'

And I shut up.

It wasn't wise to anger a temperamental/emotional girl…,

Keiko, and, Botan, had **_pounded_** that into me.

Not that I messed with, kags, anyways,

That was my death on a platter,

' Yuske, extra crispy comin' right up! Yhea that would be fun, bright idea.'

Kagome, sighed.

It had been a long hard day, a night too for that matter.

** Authoresses pov**

Koennma, cleared his throat.

All eye's settled on him attentively well all but the pairs belonging to, Hiei, and, Kagome.

Kagome, didn't feel like looking at the mini monarch and, Hiei, really just didn't give a rat's ass one way or another, so he chose his way, not caring not paying attention, sure he was curious but, Koennma, was not the one who had struck his curiosity (fancy).

"Kagome, what's this about? It must be important."

Kagome's, shoulders sagged slightly and only those accustomed to catching the tiniest of details even noticed a change,

This of course excluded, Kuwabara, and, Yuske.

Hiei, had turned to, Kagome, just in time to catch the small microscopic display.

The split-second passed and, Kagome, stood up straight and ridged once more, and slightly stiffer than she was before.

Kagome's, Face lost any of the sadness that was laced with her at the moment and soon turned in to a stonic mask of indifference.

No emotion passed that wall built around her heart.

The wall that, Sesshomaru, tried so hard to get her to adopt in battles, the one she said she would never perfect because it wasn't something she had the heart to do, nor something she could do to that heart of hers.

But time had hardened her soul and built walls around the thing she desperately needed to protect, for the memory of the ones who died in the final battle for the lost souls that could not leave this earth, and finally for herself.

Koennma, knew that, Kagome, was a priestess, the guardian of the Shikon, he knew that, Naraku, was an evil demon after the jewel one she had destroyed, he knew that, Inuyasha, was a half demon and about, Sango, and, Miroku, and, Shippo, and how they all died in the last battle.

He knew of her relations with, Sesshomaru, now the lord of Makai. He knew nothing of her time traveling nor of the well and nothing of, Rin, or, Kaede, he truly knew nothing of her past.

THE past to be specific. He knew very little about the miko and that is how she kept it. If he knew others could find out.

Kikyo, had disappeared in the final battle just before, Inuyasha, had perished from this forbidden land.

From the history books and from the minds of man. But not before he made a wish that sent the jewel back to, Kagome, that wish was

That no person would ever have to go through being a half demon ever again, no half-blood would be thrown from his family in despise and that humans could live with out the terror permeating their heart of when their last meal would be, if their children could see the sun outside with out running the risk of a demon attack.

And this is how, Ennma, and Makai and Ningenkai and the Reikai had come to be. Though his words where not well-planed or nearly as poetic and descriptive, his voice may have been horse and caked with blood and sadness as he revealed his truest wish, to let no on else feel his deepest pain, his sorrow and the pain of his birth right, tainting his fathers blood, name, and line through forbidden love.

Kagome, turned to face the Tantei instead of their ruler.

This annoyed, Koennma, but he dealt.

"A few months ago I fought and destroyed a very powerful demon.

This demon gained his powers by absorbing other demons into him along with anything powerful.

He absorbed anything and everything he could not use."

Kagome's, voice got very glum here despite her mask.

"This demons specialty is trickery and betrayal. It amuses him to tear apart love and family, he loves to turn the best of friends into the worst of enemies. He loves to taint and twist hearts."

' _Is?'_

Kagome, paused for a moment to inhale.

"This demon was after something **_very powerful_** that I possessed,"

Hiei, snorted in contempt.

"Just a shard of this item could increase any demon or humans powers ten-fold."

Kurama, had questions but he held it, not wanting to deter her from her tale. It was _interesting_ to say, more or less like intriguing, even though somehow and somewhat vague.

"In an effort to protect this item from something else, I accidentally shattered it."

Hiei, snorted again. Kagome, gave him a hard glare and then continued.

"Hmph, Fine, to make this short"

Kagome, stressed short, a lot.

"The demon I was fighting, Naraku, obtained well over half of the item.

With the power he gained from these shards he created incarnations of himself.

Through out this _adventure_ he created over 5 or 6 of these incarnations.

Though only 2 stayed constant and lasted throughout all of the battles, Kagura, and, Kanna."

When Kagome, mentioned, Kagura, she nodded her head to Hiei indicating her point, well to him at least.

"In the end I and my companions"

Kagome's, voice wavered. The word 'companions' had a foreign sense of finality to it, one that clung to the air. She continued.

"Slayed the demon and his incarnates. In the battle I-"

Her sentence was cut short by the ogre, George, bursting through the door behind the couch every one's eyes and heads snapped to the source of the sound making the ogre very nervous and fidgety.

"Oh Koennma, sir!"

He continued despite the attention.

"We have 3 new unexpected souls here sir! I think you need to take a look at this, mr.Koennma sir."

The ogre was distraught and quite frantic. Small strands of hair that clung to hands seemed to indicate that he had been pulling his hair or some poor unfortunate other-person's hair out in stress.

He was very twitchy to, nervously twitching every other second.

"Well put them back already! I don't have **_time_** for this, George!"

Koennma, yelled obviously miffed, in a voice that had the reversed meaning of, what-else-do-you-expect-to-do?-keep-them-here-for-20 years?'

"But.. well,.. um.. you see um.. sir…we ..uh.. well, sir we can't."

George, finally spit out the words.

"What do you mean we can't?"

Koennma whined.

"Something is preventing us."

"Well-"

Koennma's, frustrated voice was silenced once again with the silent threat of purification. This time though, George, recognized the threat and his eyes went wide with understanding and surprise that, lady Kagome, was here along with the Tantei.

Koennma, once again bit back the end of his remark.

"Bring the 3 souls here, George."

George's, eyes flitted nervously around the room then silently landing on, Koennma.

George's, eye's asked the silent question of,

'Should I?'

Koennma, stiffly nodded yes, still wary of, Kagome's, hand. George, scuttled off once again through the door slamming it shut behind them.

Kagome, sighed letting her hand drop back to her side.

":sigh: Look Yuske, this fight was on a personal level for most of my companions, not just some gathering of a willy-nilly group of hero's and stupid heroics ok?"

Kuwabara, to offense to that.

"Hey! Heroics aren't stupid their brave!"

"No Kuwabara,

all it is are people pointlessly putting their lives in danger for public recognition, simply doing it for a show because they think that their powers should be broadcasted throughout the world.

They fight with neon lights to back them up. My group fought in the shadows,

doing what we could here and there.

We faced our own personal demons instead of acting to the world on a throne of perfection."

Kagome, continued like she hadn't just bashed heroes and heroics.

"It was personal for, Inuyasha,

he was tricked into thinking that his love betrayed him, and in return was killed by it.

It was personal for, Miroku,

His great-grandfather was cursed by, Naraku, while trying to kill him, and the curse passed down through the generations to each boy down to him. That curse killed his grandfather and his father, his father practically died in front of him as a young boy!

It was personal for, Sango,

Naraku, tricked the best fighters of her village away leaving the rest unprotected, and sent hordes of demons with grudges against the village their.

Then he possessed her little brother and had him kill the rest of her family right in front of her! He tried to kill her and she still wouldn't attack him!

Then he killed her little brother and brought him back to life with a shard and used him against her. Even in the final battle she wouldn't kill attack him, she had to kill her own little brother! Then he killed her.

And at some point, Yuske, it became personal for me.

It was personal for countless others!"

she paused for a moment for breath.

"Oh gods, Yuske, I really hate to say this to you but,

Now this fight is twice as personal for me and it has just become personal for you, Yuske."

Yuske, looked at he with disbelief a silent question in his eyes

'Why? How is it personal for me? Why is it personal for you? What happened?'

As if on cue, George, walked through the door once more.

Song! Scars- papa roach

I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut  
My weakness is that I care too much  
And my scars remind me that the past is real  
I tear my heart open just to feel

Drunk and I'm feeling down  
And I just wanna be alone  
I'm pissed cause you came around  
Why don't you just go home  
Cause you channel all your pain  
And I can't help you fix yourself  
You're making me insane  
All I can say is 

_Chorus:_  
I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut  
My weakness is that I care too much   
And our scars remind us that the past is real  
I tear my heart open just to feel

I tried to help you once  
Against my own advice  
I saw you going down  
But you never realized  
That you're drowning in the water   
So I offered you my hand  
Compassions in my nature  
Tonight is our last stand

_Chorus_

I'm drunk and I'm feeling down  
And I just wanna be alone  
You shouldn't ever came around  
Why don't you just go home?  
Cause you're drowning in the water  
And I tried to grab your hand  
And I left my heart open  
But you didn't understand  
But you didn't understand  
Go fix yourself

I can't help you fix yourself   
But at least I can say I tried  
I'm sorry but I gotta move on with my own life  
I can't help you fix yourself  
But at least I can say I tried  
I'm sorry but I gotta move on with my own life 

_Chorus x2_

Ok that's it for now!

I'm really pleased with this chapter long and detailed! 6 pages in my spiral 16 or so in Microsoft word! Kudos! I added a lot!

But I normally do that, I write it then go back when I type and add more detail. I'm listening to keiichi net so if you noticed any changes in like the way I wrote I'm a mood writer (one of the reasons I don't update frequently)

Have I ever, mentioned that I HATE editing? And proof reading and all that grammar stuff?

Like when you add a name in the middle of a sentence you're supposed to put, name, like that and stuff.

And micro doesn't recognize name so I had to go put all of that back in and add missing words and BLAH BLAH BLAh. I normally come ------- this close to failing language arts when it comes to grammar and stuff.

I'm Texan and I'm country, and I'm WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAyYYYYY to damn lazy for all of that shit. We have an exception to EVERY damn rule::sigh: and I don't have a beta…… I don't really want one but it just makes it ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ that much harder. I don't really care about these little chats they can be all, incorrect anytime or loaded with spelling and punctuation errors all they want, but the stories gotta be 110 ( I don't proof the chats and whatnot myself I run spell check… and it's having a mini war with it's self to… lol it can't decide!) but silver lining right?

I get to go to a Harry potter release party! Soo happy! I will have songs at the end of most chapters ok? I just find songs I think fit.

Originally I planned for this chapter to take up like 12 pgs in my spiral but I got sleepy and figured if I added enough of the details that are always swimming around in this head of mine I could make up. I think I did a pretty damn good job to! If I do say so myself!

This chapter's kinda a cliffy but I'll give Pocky to anyone who guesses who's ghosts walk through that door… not that constant foreshadowing didn't point it out….. a lot!

Lol well the contest still stands and I know who kags is gonna be with .. In the next chapter or 2 it might become quite apparent who it is….

If you've ever ask for votes from you're reviewers and I reviewed you already know lol.

Ahhhhhh srry guys I'm having problems logging in to So you might get this a day late!

Gomen !

What do you do? It logs you in and the you're not logged on…. It takes you where you where last but theirs no record of you logging in!

Help me someone!…..

I'll reboot my comp…….. nah that won't work someone tell me what to do!

Satare: if they read this you do realize that that means you got ON right? Neh idiot…

Me: shut up!

Sana: bye forgive us will you?

** Omake Theater **

The four detectives stared down their next mission, err well, opponent. It was a young girl demon that had come to Ningenkai to kill some humans for a bounty.

The girl apparently found the prospect that these four 'spirit detectives' could bring her down.

She smiled and evil dangerous smile that was full of blood lust.

"You've entered MY territory. And now my little detectives you are in lots of danger."

Wicked wicked grin found it's place on her rough and tumble features.

Her eye's where black even the whites of her eyes where black, it always seemed like she was watching you. Her hair was a bold contrast to the rest of her, it was a toned down pink color tied in a loose uncaring ponytail.

She was well fit with a tight sinewy body. She moved like a snake calm, calculating, and smoothly as water. Unlike most of the demons they fought she was a fluent mover.

She wore a human attire of jeans witch had various holes and…_ stains_ about it. A small white tank top that showed her midriff covered the shirt department.

Yuske snorted.

"I **_laugh _**in the face of danger, I'm hardly scared of _you._"

Shiniki looked at him with her black eyes, a feral grin seeping onto her lips.

Suddenly vines shot up from the ground ensnaring all of them in an ironclad grip. Even, Kurama, was having difficulty convincing the plants to release him.

Shiniki laughed back deep and menacing, not an evil ' I will rule the world now that you are defenseless' laugh but one of _joy._

Hiei looked to, Yuske, glaring at the stupid idiot who just made their job harder.

"I think danger is laughing right back at you detective" 

** End Omake Theatre! **

This Omake theatre was inspired by lion king. When Nala is all like ' I laugh in the face of danger ha ha ha ha!' that part, I just added some wit to the statement… well that and another person.

Well Ja Ne Ookami say's bye!

_**And the Credits Roll!**_


	4. Amplifying our pain

HIIIIIIII! I live! Sorry for the major delay. But we moved, YAY! It makes me so exited! Our comp is up so I will try to write daily. You guys might of heard of my new idea and if you haven't check out my profile I put it at the beginning. So here we are at the 4th chapter of '_Pain Don't Mean a Thing'_ I'll try to make this extra long for the delay oh and this chapter is dedicated to**_ KawaiiKoneko89 _** (on who is the only one who attempted to annoy me. Though it didn't work. Lol

! News (of my life) update! I got a boyfriend! Who I am so totally head over heels for. I miss him already ( it's been approximately 25 minutes since I've last seen him!)… and now I've broken up with him…and I DARE anybody to pity me so help me go I will email the rest of this story and leave you who pity me out of that…ok now… 

Chapter Title: Amplifying Our Pain

Me: bows apologetically I'm SORRYYYY! (Like ritsu-chan)

Satare: oh yes bow to them, it makes you an easier target

Sana: Oh come now Satare, be nice, you know your sorry too.

Satare: You only wish Sana; it's less work for me

Me::glomps Satare: NOOOOOO NEVER SAY THAT!

Satare: Then I should lie?

Me: Wails noooo then silently collapses and sobs

Sana: SATARE! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!

Satare: Smirks ooooh Sana I didn't know you could yell.

Sana::shakes her head in dumbfounded ness of Satare: you jerk, now you say the disclaimer!

DISCLAIMER: She don't own Sana don't own I don't own, so leave the subject alone.

' _Italics with **' **_ thoughts

The song at he end is mine.

Oh by the way, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH::ahem:

**Minna: On With Tha' Show!**

Pain Don't Mean A Thing,

Chapter 4 Amplifying Our Pain 

General POV

The tallest soul was in the shape of a middle-aged woman, with homely eyes but yet a somewhat distraught expression. Thou past all of the stray ends that came with being dead, and buy a violent death no less, she looked the entire part of a stay at home mother. With her care worn eyes and the frailness of her emotions, yet the understanding only a mother could hold in her eyes as well as the terror of death.

The smallest soul, was apparently a young boy 10 perhaps at most. His eyes were very readable, and it was easy to tell that those very eyes had once held mirth and mischief, but were now filled with fear and confusion, pain, woe. It was a heart-breaking sight. The soul of a young boy so easily over taken by this darkness called murder.

The last soul was, to say… well quite frankly, he was OLD. Age had creased his face like the folds of origami, slowly worked out over the time of his years. His eyes thou were somewhat hope inspiring, filled with defiance. Saying loudly in the determination of the older generation, " NO! I won't be consumed by sorrow!" and he wasn't. The old man formerly known as Elder Higurashi, stood in the middle of the boy and mother, forming a type of sloping appearance within the family, tallest to smallest.

The mother's eyes suddenly took to the room, searching the faces automatically cataloging them all, determining who and what they were with a mothers gaze. A mothers gaze, something that would never be easily replicated. Until their flitting ceased as her eyes landed on Yusuke Urameshi, her eyes opened into the widest of surprise and her essence shook with the effort to stay upright.

Yusuke's POV

Ms. Higurashi took a tentative step towards me. I suddenly felt realization and dawning, and with that shock, my mind enveloped my senses and I withdrew into myself to think, slightly aware of the world around me.

" Oh little Yuyu! You're not dead are you!" she asked in suspicious alarm.

" Aun- Auntie Tori? What … the…."

Yusuke's sentence ran off once again putting 1+1 together hoping to find a mistake in his calculations.

'_This **Naraku** guy killed aunt Tori!'_

**_That's_** why it was personal for him and ka..go..m….e?

' _Oh SHIT! KAGOME! This must've really gotten to her!'_

Yusuke was about to open her mouth but Aunt Tori beat him to it. While Yusuke had been contemplating Tori's eyes had once more disheartened and then cataloged the room. Then Tori's eyes landed on Kagome.

" Kagome? Oh dear, honey did… did..Aku…."

She couldn't bring herself to finish that train of thought…. Not that of course **_I_** had any qualms about finishing that off not so nicely… in my head of course.

_Did Aku **kill **you Kagome?_

Kagome's eyes widened fractionally softening as they returned, then once again putting up a guarded expression.

" No, NO mom I'm **_alive. _**Really, it's just…"

Kagome ran her sentence right of the road. It seemed we all were having trouble finishing our sentences. Family reunions **_SUCKED._** Auntie Tori's eyes flashed in relief and then her head drooped downward in shame unseen.

" Oh, Kagome dear, if I…. If only I...had _been there_…. If only I had _protected _everyone better… you wouldn't be in this situation, you … you wouldn't have to go through this…for-Forgive me Kagome-sama"

Tori bowed deeply her short hair suspended in air while Kagome's eyes widened, my own eyes following suit. She was _bow-ing_ to her **daughter**! That, that just wasn't right...Kagome wore a pained expression her face playing contortionist, thou I could only imaging how it was no more that a fleck of dust compared to her heart, which was no doubt twisted into impossible shapes.

My own heart, was screwed into agonizing positions, seeing this woman whom I had regarded as somewhat of a hero-figure bow to her only daughter, in front of her grandfather, her son, her nephew, and above all (only in social stature) the prince of the spirit world. It was so humiliating to herself, so _degrading. _ Not only that but she had called kagome, sama… she had called Kagome her superior, that was so utterly wrong on so many levels. Kagome's face was frozen in shock her eyes still saucers.

Slowly Kagome's eyes returned to normal, her face transcending into a scowl as her eyes reverted. Kagome opened her mouth to speak, anger laced within each word, each breath.

" Mother." She bit out slowly, her teeth no doubt gritted. " Don't you **ever** say that again, so long as your spirits remain or so help me Kami!" Her harsh tone softening until 'Kami' was naught but a whisper heard by all and none.

Kagome dropped to her knees coming eye level to her mother. She wrapped both of her hands around Tori's shoulders. " Please, don't say that mom, never. Don't bow to me either I deserve no respect, no less from you. It's _my_ fault, not yours." Kagome slowly stood up dragging her mom with her.

" I did not properly destroy Naraku-"

" How could you have! You were so young!" Tori interjected, grabbing Kagome's shoulders roughly in the same manner as Kagome had hers.

" I wasn't there in your time of need."

" You didn't know!" Tori wailed.

" I WASN'T THERE MOM, I WASN"T FUCKING THERE! I _LET_ YOU DIE, I _FAILED _YOU"

Kagome's words came out in a jumbled rush, emotion drowning out content, so much despair.

I wanted to go to kagome and aunt Tori, but what would I do? It's not like I could just go up and say 'Hey guys, it's all right' That was another great way to soft serve me. My heart thou, went out to kagome and aunt Tori. Their was nothing I could do, nothing at all. Kagome's head hung dejectedly now, her shoulders heaving up and down with each breath.

" The only ones to blame are Naraku for his dastardly ways and me for my ignorance"

I thought I saw Hiei nod, confirming her 'ignorance.'

' _I'M GONNA KILL THAT MIDGET SON-OF-A-BITCH!'_

Hiei's head swerved my direction.

'_OH SHIT! HE'S GONNA TRY TO BEAT ME UP…heh **try** that is, he couldn't beat me a year ago and he can't beat me now!'_

Hiei's head turned my direction head on, giving me his best all-time glare.

'_Why can't I just go crawl under a rock or something?'_

I squirmed in my shoes, this was really uncomfortable, and even though I could beat Hiei, that didn't mean I wanted to mess with him. If I really pissed him off we'd both be down-and-out for _days_ I liked being able to walk thank you very much.

' _Watch your tongue detective or I might just try to chop that infernal thing out of your mouth and mind.'_

I **really** didn't want to know or experience that process, I had no doubt in my mind what's so ever that he really could silence my 'inner voice,' and it sounded painful.

My mind was drawn back to world around me when Kagome turned her back on her mother to face and address Koennma. Her face had regained her stony appearance and her voice no longer held any earlier emotions.

" Do you job Koennma. We have matters to discuss, matters I do not appreciate my family hearing."

Aunt Tori instead of looking confused, as I had imagined her to look was quite calm and collected, moving back into place with the rest of the dead portion of her family.

" Goodbye Souta, Gramps, mom."

Koennma nodded, and then signaled Botan over from her the corner of the room she had been inhabited. Botan nodded, understanding, and lead the spirits out with a silent reserve.

** Authoresses POV **

Attention was raptly brought back to Kagome as she began to speak in a soft demanding tone.

" Koennma, you're detectives are only in this to keep watch. Nothing more nothing less, got it? They are not to fight Naraku."

Koennma's face flushed an indignant red and he tugged at his collar apparently attempting self-control for once. Yhea, not working.

" Kagome! If **_he_** is really back, you'll need protection!" Kagome's reply; a stern glare.

" Oh? And what happened to the last people who 'protected' me? Huh? They _died_ Koennma, no others will find their graves because of me and **_my_** cause. Do you understand me you pea-brained-tot?"

Koennma flushed once more his face going for 'cherry'. Hiei simply smirked and imagined the 'Tot's pea sized brain' and sent it out to all of spirit world. Most would brush it off as a random thought but the more…_aware_ ones would be laughing off their asses.

After a moment of angry silence Koennma's lips turned upwards slightly in a smirk as Kagome fun-house-mirrored his mouth, hers slowly turning into a slight frown.

" What would Sesshomaru do **_lady_** kagome? If he where here now what would he do, say?

Kagome's glare increased tenfold her mouth turning down even more. Kagome's mouth stopped half way into forming the first words or her oh-so-smart retort as the giant oak doors to Koennma's office swung open for the third time to interrupt Kagome and Koennma's verbal sparring match.

( ooh can I end it here? dodges flying objects and then readers advance with a rabid Jaken Okay okay! This snap out moment was brought to you be…well me. )

A tall regal figure appeared within the doors a shadowy mist enveloping him and shading his face. The very presence of his aura demanded respect, attention, and acknowledgement. He radiated power and royalty clung to him like glue. He was in a regal pose, nose in the air and above all others.

His face held a judgmental look that made you feel as if he held supremacy over you. His aura, while demanded many things was calm and cool as if he was completely right in all situations and rightly confident, his face mirrored it perfectly, cool and collected devoid of all emotion other than boredom.

The man's, for he was a man, was in a high and regal ponytail that gracefully descended down his back. The tightness of the ponytail pulled at the skin of his face, stretching it, making his face look longer and more eloquent.

Kagome's eyes widened loosing all traces of the void that had claimed her heart so long ago. " Sess…Sesshomaru!" She took a quick few powerful strides towards him and stopped barely a hair's breadth away from him, obviously oblivious to their small, if contained, audience.

Hiei managed to stifle a glare towards the great inu youkai. Why he wanted to glare at him, he had no earthly idea. Maybe it was because he was so close to Kag… the girl, so close to that damned onna. An onna he could never ever get that close to. He could obtain something he could not.

Youko Kurama on the other hand was mere centimeters from bursting through the physical barrier that Kurama held over him. Youko wanted to rip the dog limb from limb, how dare he get so close to such a beautiful woman. A woman he wanted to claim, she was his riddle to solve! She was _his _damn it!

Kagome normally would have been paying attention to everyone's mind and thoughts. But Sesshomaru was all she could think of, all she had capacity for in her mind that was suddenly so small, too small.

Sesshomaru seemed unruffled by her close proximity. He had expected her to turn and ignore him, shun him, or something of that sort but nothing like what she did. Sesshomaru knew that she knew what not to do and what he could do to him in company; he did have a reputation to uphold.

Kagome slowly, unbelievingly, as if in a trance, raised her hand up to his cheek, gently cupping it as if he would disappear.

Hiei and Youko's blood Boiled.

Sessho's eyes shot wide open, then froze in shock.

" You're real…" It was a question, a statement, a truth. Her hand suddenly went limp drooping down back to her side numbly.

Kagome's body shook… with anger, relief, or sadness?

With what this Sesshomaru did not know. Her head was down cast her hair shadowed her face.

" All this time…" this time more force behind the words, more than the mid-whisper she had been at, surer, more confident. The emotion behind it was astounding. Her aura swirled around her, with a dark and confusing design, intimate colors, dark colors, colors undistinguishable in a bright frenzied display, but all of them were not good.

------------------------------------

So They Cry – Ookami-san(the animelover)

Heaven tried to take my hand 

But lost to the night was I

And they say it rained black blood that day,

When the devil's angels cried

For The loss that was I

But the night I walk

Is not dark nor right

I'll hold my honor true

I'll give my loyalties to me and me alone

Cause' my heart can't see within the darkness

Chorus

So they cry

And the blood rains down from the sky

An' I feel cleansed

Because it means that I am me

And nobody

Could tell me who I am

And when the world comes crashing down 

And the screams will ring from near and far

A smile then will grace my lips

Cause I am me

And you are you

And nobody can tell us who

We are

Chorus

So they cry

And the blood rains down from the sky

An' I feel cleansed

Because it means that I am me

And nobody

Could tell me who I am

Or who I was 

Who am I now?

Only I decide

To who and what I abide

And within me my heart divide

To hide behind this mask of mine

And only I shall know who I am

Chorus

So they cry

And the blood rains down from the sky

An' I feel cleansed

Because it means that I am me

And nobody

Could tell me who I am

And Nobody Nobody could tell 

Me who I am.

Chorus

So they cry

And the blood rains down from the sky

An' I feel cleansed

Because it means that I am me

And nobody

Could tell me who I am

So they cry

Ok, so I finally churned out this chapter, sorry about that thou, I've no excuse for a 4 or 5 or whatever long absence. Please review so I can get my moral up about this damn story. I expect also to put up a small one-shot about Kikyo latter on today that I will not extend. So go tell all your & friends that 'Hey! That lazy authoress Ookami-san (the animelover) finally updated her chapter!

Satare: where'd Satake go?

Me: I don't _know!_ Why do you think I had so many problems getting this chapter out? My muse was missing

Satake: - comes in with a bunch of dust and asphalt clinging to her she looks super annoyed- glares Do you have any possible idea how long it took me to find you after you moved god damn it!

Everyone: Satake!

Me: -runs and hugs Satake- now I can write!

Satare: oh great, now she can torture readers with crapy writing

Sana: - hits Satare over the head with her purse- jackass

Satake & Me: Oo

Sana: -.-

Me: oooooookay…. Well any who

Oh and before I forget a small shout out to some recent reviewers

On sorry to say this but this is a hiei/kag I intend to put a little kag/ kur fluff in it thou!

Chezlea- happy makes hyper

And all you others I am updating!

On the credits Roll!

V

Review…


	5. In The Eve Of Truth

**Pain Don't Mean a thing; Ch.5 In The Eve of Truth**

&$$ DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters and each belong to theirs respectively, I make no profit from this (#$!#&(&

OK so I'm back with news.

**This is the last chapter! **

Ok no I worded that wrong, this is my last chapter that I will pre-write in a spiral! Why? Eh who knows? Which either means that this will come out more often or less

-.-

Oh and second announcements, my muses have left me so, they will no longer speak through me …

jumps for joy ok I realize that it has been entirely Too long but let's give it a shot! OH and most Tuesdays and Thursdays I won't be able to write. I got into a play at school and those are rehearsal day. Whoot!( it went well the last night I went out and discoed for the closing . ) Uber good news! My long-standing Crush Asked me out! Turns out he liked me too! Yay! Now then…

_**Everyone: "On With Tha' Show!"**_

In The Eve of Truth 

Kagome's P.O.V.

Months, days, weeks, pain, promises. Only he could pull such words into such a beautiful concoction of simplistic complexity, the distortion of the otherwise human heart. I wondered how he could be here, when all that he was, everything he did, denied that. He was _alive_. Was it not he, who on honor of his blood and soul, promised me at the mouth of the well, that he _Lord_ Sesshomaru of the western lands… That he would undeniably be their waiting at the rim on the other side the moment she stepped forth from it's murky depths? Yet here I stood, two months short of a year from issuing from the well house, sad and lonely.

'_How could lord Sesshomaru do this to me? He **lied** to me!' _

I fell back on a painful detached courtesy; I would not speak of him as if he were friend, not now.

I could feel the muscles in my hand clench, slowly trying to tighten into a fist, nails lightly biting down on the palm of my hands as my hands balled completely and more into a fist. My whole arms shook at the restraint being used to keep the hands down and looking relatively relaxed, not that It was going so great at that right now anyways.

My hands raised slightly, then shakily lowered against the instinctual urge to kick Sesshomaru's ass right here in front of the Reikai prince. I barely registered when my eye began to twitch out of annoyance. I couldn't stand to be so close to him without lashing out at him some time Very,_ very _soon.

I took a slow breath, holding it in, collecting myself before I slowly turned on my heels, eye twitching once more, and forced my hands to uncurl themselves.

The breath I had been holding came out slowly, almost controlled, through my clenched teeth as I shuddered at my last primal urge to turn around and punch Sesshomaru, _hard._ I took a few battling steps away then as my controlled breaths came out easier and the muscles in my body began to relax some, my feet stepped casually now as I came to the opposite wall. I faced the wall staring at it a few harsh seconds, then looked away as it began to smolder. I sucked in another lung-brimming breath as I prepared to turn around and not do something… _rash. _

With my blood afire and boiling over, I turned to face him and the rest of the room with one of my old fallback smiles. Nothing happened, no sudden burst of the urge to beat Sesshomaru within an inch of his life, no sudden explosion of my head, nothing, except a nice calm front.

... From the boy's P.O.V. ...

Everyone suddenly tensed; the demon that had barged in was radiating a disturbing amount of power. Kagome seemed to have suddenly fallen under a trance and as she walked up to the demon slightly caressing his check and then at his surprised look, her trance seemed to flow away from it's direction of amazement and awe, to a pure an unbridled anger. Her aura began slipping out in little tendrils that seeped off of her spiraling around her small frame in malevolent curls. Yusuke's eye twitched, who was this demon for his cousin to react so…so, _familiarly with_?

His over-bearing, insufferable, protective side suddenly flared to life as her aura changed and took on a visual manifestation. If this demon could affect her this much, and was this powerful, the demon couldn't be good. No-O, he did not like the amount of the almost haughty power that oozed out of him. That 'I'm-too-sexy-for-my-car' vibe… to bad Koennma didn't listen to radio, that would have been funny as hell.

Hiei's first instinct was to attack the demon, using his speed and the element of surprise to defeat him. Luckily though the second was to let the others make fighting fools of themselves. The demon could be friend or foe, and he would not make an ally a foe in a foolish move. He had learned long ago that relying mainly on your instincts could get you killed, but brains came into the matter too.

His concerns switched ever so rapidly as the miko stared, eyes undeniably wild, yet dazed at the demon. She walked up to him in silence, an almost soft look on her face. He looked down as any youkai would, arrogantly, as if she was no more than a mere bug to be squished underneath his demonic powers. A strong flash of jealousy streaked through him as she brought her hands to his face in an informal gesture of trust, or stupidity, but he'd like to think she wasn't _that _stupid. Why should this demon be so welcomed by this human? Why did this woman so readily accept this youkai that even that dimwit Kuwabara wouldn't trust more than once?

He stood at the ready to defend this woman, even if it was only to get a chance to know why she could walk up to that demon so. The fact that if he didn't Yusuke would kick his ass had no influence, no influence at ALLLLL. (BTW that was sarcasm if you didn't catch that.)

He watched, with some small insignificant not-even-there pride, as she turned and walked away from him. Not that turning your back to an unknown and powerful demons was a smart, nor good choice, but he'd take the optimistic side of this 2-way road and say he was SOMEWHAT proud.

authoresses P.O.V.

Her aura began to disintegrate slowly, if not reluctantly, seeping back into her tense body. The thick tendrils becoming smaller and thrashing about less, the bright pinks and blues falling into a dull milky white color, Until finally their was naught but air surrounding her. It was painfully apparent she had inhaled deeply for her chest heaved and she grit her teeth before sighing out a quiet response.

" I believe I know Koennma, what he would say, but then again, now… now I am not so sure, I thought I once knew him, I really did, but I may stand to be corrected"

Her eyes were closed as she said this a sad presence wrapping around her somehow, if her eyes had been open one could have only imagined how sad they might have looked, but if one were to try and imagine that they would do it a great injustice. She sighed once more closing her eyes more tightly then opening then to stare at the floor in a cold, detached, sadness.

" And you know what Koennma? I'd have to say, Damn emotional attachments and loyalties to the furthest pit of hell."

At this kagome shot a pointed glare Sesshomaru's way, and then towards the half-sized prince of spirit world. Sesshomaru though, in his fluffy way remained impassive and uncaring, but of course the one who sat on a throne of fools smirked, oh he new he had won, but perhaps her didn't know that with each victory their comes a cost.

'bastards' She silently seethed inside, Oh how she would plot and extract such a sweet revenge for this… she could only wait.

Koennma turned his smug attentions to the stunned, dazed, confused, calm, and annoyed members of the reitantei. Koennma stretched then looked at the four expectantly. After what had to be somebody's equivalent of 5 minutes Koennma sighed and came forward, resting his elbow on his desk and his head in his hand slowly shaking. Surely he had hopped the fox was smart enough to be following this… After another minute sighed and spelled it out.

" Well you heard her, Kagome's agreed to be guarded...I want at least one of you the be with her at all times… no exceptions, got it." No, they didn't…

5 minutes….

"OH FOR PETE'S SAKE! YOU ALL FUKING NEED TO BE NEAR HER AT ALL TIMES!_PACK FOR A FUCKING TRIP!" _ Koennma's face was red and Yusuke and Kurama were having a bit of trouble holding in laughter.

" OH just shut up, both of you! NOW ON TO MORE IMPORNATNT Business::ahem: well now to help this guarding thing, you will all enroll in her current school of attendance."

Poor Koennma didn't even catch the death glares Hiei and kagome threw his way, You can bet plots for revenge and death whirled around their heads like they lived and breathed it… poor, poor Koennma… well they didn't give a damn, so why should we?

' I shall not enroll in some stupid ningen school! I am above such disgrace!' Hiei snarled in his head, murder clearly shone through his eyes because Kurama shot him an amused questioning glance. Then he noticed kagome which fed his darker happiness.

Kagome was seething as well, determined to skin the baby for such a ludicrous suggestion, to have them tail her at school! She had a reputation, having 4 guys tail her would smash that, not to mention be as annoying a fucking hell. Oh yes, she'd see to it Koennma'd die a long, miserable, cold, lonely death… at HER hands!

Hiei mentally smirked at this, her anger distracting her mental barriers enough for him to glimpse her thoughts, skinning sounded like a fun way to end his life after torture, this girl had a good head on her shoulders! Hiei was so tempted to laugh ( maniacally) as another wave of distress and anger washed over her. Though as fate would have it, something in Hiei's mind reminded her WHY she was wrong and then he got all pissed off…again.

Kagome smirked in turn noticing his anger overtake him again,

'hey at least I wont suffer alone' she mused. Then just to piss him off more she projected a thought his way: 'Sorry pretty boy, but you will so.' This of course shocked the hell out of Hiei, he hadn't even been aware of her mental presence. Then her words sank in and he gritted his teeth against impaling her on his katana. Then a thought struck him though, no matter how stray, 'P-Pretty boy!'

A small tremor ran through him, and not a good one. First she secretly has some connection and knows Yusuke, Then she takes a suicide jump, and winds up unscathed, Then she as normal human ( well at that time she had been) knew about demons, then she knows Koennma , then she knows the demon lord Sesshomaru, now she can get in his mind without him noticing and she calls him a PRETTY BOY! WHAT THE FUCK WAS WRONG WITH THIS BITCH!

'Hi, still here, can hear your thoughts, have a name, use it, thank you.'

Hiei practically groaned aloud. Why couldn't somebody have told him that today would suck ass?

' Well a) you'd most likely have killed them for it and b) it wasn't supposed to be like this, it should have been a normal day'

Wall, he needed a brick wall to smash his head on. Though he almost laughed at that last comment, their ideas of a normal day differed greatly, most of his days under Koennma's rule were like this, and they sucked ass.

'oh well then it wasn't supposed to be like this anyways, screw abnormality, because sadly this wouldn't be all that odd in my books'

Oh FUCKING A, their she went again, damn-it what was this girls problems!

' Stop fucking barging into my head onna' he replyed back for the first time tersely.'

'Onna, eh short stuff? Well I believe I've stated that I have a name and wish to be called by it so if you detest using it that much I suppose I can give you a range of 'nicnames' too. So I detest the short midget name that suits your own battle with height and shall give you a blatant label and call you… CHIBI!'

kagome grinned with a mix of wickedness and smugness, knowing how that would hit a nerve, she had been short for the longest time.

"Onna…" Chibi bit out menacingly and surprisingly aloud, he must have been bored with the mind games, too bad those were fun, but public embarrassment worked too.

" Yes Chibi?" Kagome blinked innocently trying to look un-blamable, but unfortunately for her Hiei was at the end of his restraint rope and her smug, ill-hidden smirk gave her away, which in turn caused all of the rooms inhabitants to sweat drop.

' DAMN IT ALL!' ( now just guess who that was)

'Chibi, it's not nice to damn IT' She practically reeked of fake over-dramatized innocence

'then damn!'

'That's not nice either' Her eyes fluttered but her smile that wouldn't stay down broke the look.

' OK, DAMN YOU'

' haven't we discussed the "damn" word already Chibi? And the "Kagome's name is, kagome" thing?'

'Fuck you, bitch'

' I'd rather not if you please, I don't know you well enough, plus you like girl dogs? I believe your talking to the wrong species their Chibi.'

' I hate you so fucking bad'

He shuddered again repressing the primal and instinctual urge to destroy this annoyance. Unfortunately she'd just wind up here in sprit world, and he'd be unable to threaten her then even. What could he do once she was a dead ghost who could plague him every time they had to com in for a mission 'You their Ghost bitch, shut the fuck up or I'll…I'll' and then what would he say, leave?

'Good to know Mr.Chibi, though it's not exactly mutual… Hate is a might bit to strong for me'

Kagome thought she could see the steam just rolling off of him. Sadly she knew play-time was now over, she pointedly cleared her throat, partially at herself sadly and then at the rest in the room paying attention to her and Hiei's shenanigans. She pried her attentions and amusements from Chibi and redirected it towards her Yuyu, And with a air of importance and more drama said in her best Koga impersonation:

" Ah, little cousin, it seems my plans of staying with you for awhile have suddenly changed." Everyone excluding the Ice/fire demon and the wannabe ice demon's (Sessho) eyes widened, but of course Yusuke had everyone beat.

" What! WHY?" He screeched, Kagome sighed theatrically, seemingly serious.

" What if I said…because?" Everyone (and this time I mean it) sweat dropped as they anime fell, not that Koennma had far to fall, what 2 feet? Yusuke being the most concerned was the first to recover and (unfortunately) the first to yell.

" Then you'd be LYING kagome. Come on, tell me Kagome!" He whined. Then kagome sighed, not a long drawn out, pretend sigh, not an exasperated sigh, nor a happy sigh particularly, but a short sigh caught somewhere between a yawn and a soft dreamy, far-away sigh.

"Because I miss the forests, It's been," She paused, casting a sad sideways glance to the indifferent Sesshomaru.

" It's been a long time Yusuke, the city is beginning to drain me. 10 months is a long time for somebody like me, with a past like mine to suddenly be ripped from that environment, no matter how diluted it is comparatively, Yusuke.

It's like taking you and putting you in a forest for 10 months, you Yusuke would yearn for the simple and complex pleasures of a city. Even if you lived in a primitive jungle city." Yusuke squinted his eyes at her, his mouth slightly agape, he was staring at her like she had grown a second and third head.

"Never mind Yusuke" she said shaking her head.

Yusuke though for a moment, ' How's that even possible for Kagome?'

"How's that even possible for you Kagome? You've hated the darkness for your whole life, you wouldn't even sneak out of the hose because you were scared!"

Kagome's eyes clouded in a mix of nostalgia and sadness.

" Yusuke, you have no clue what darkness is, nor what it feels lie to have it live within you, or the people closest to you. You don't know evil, not like I know it. Perhaps Yusuke I would still be childishly afraid of the darkness of night if I hadn't, If I hadn't"

She stopped her self there, her eye's snapping back into attention fading from a misty brown into a clear and sharp distinction of the human eye. She retreated behind her emotional mask and began again, albeit somewhat sadly.

" I've changed Yuyu. Perhaps, perhaps if I hadn't seen what I have seen, felt what I have felt, done what I've had to do, I'd still be 'Kagome Higurashi', figuratively.

The child who was afraid of darkness, but I know now Yusuke, what death is, what darkness, and evil are. Sadly for the most people misconceive what those things really are. Most people don't even really know what "goodness" and such are anymore, I am now one of those people Yusuke. I am one of the people who are ignorant of the light.

If you will Yusuke, I hardly remember myself as being 'Kagome Higurashi" for along time."

Oh he sure as hell wouldn't! " What the fuck do mean you haven't been Kagome Higurashi for a long time!" He bellowed His facing playing 'monkey see, monkey do' with a tomato.

Kagome sighed mentally once again, wishing desperately for some asprin, how tired she was of this whole charade she tended to say stupid things in circumstances like this, 'SIT' would be at the top of that list. She was coming to the end of her tether.

" Yusuke, I am no longer blind to the horrors of the world, To tell you true I'm only even half alive technically" Kagome observed everyone's reactions amusedly from behind her cool mask of unemotional calm. She though paid no person any particular attention, their was too many people to be paid attentions. Even though Koennma new some of her past he only knew half-truths and ignorance.

He knew nothing, not hide nor hair, of Kikyo and the soul-stealing bit.

Yusuke simply blinked for a moment or two not fully absorbing a word of what she said and then and realization dawned in his eyes, they grew wider and bigger. Yusuke began to shake unsteadily and using a blind hand behind him, used it to find a seat, the he quickly crashed into. That was the shock taking over. The jostling of the couch roused Kuwabara from his wandering thoughts, he looked at Yusuke then went back to thinking about lord know what.

Kurama of course kept a calm cool indifference about him but his gaze was that of his counterpart, Youko's, deadly calculating look. Though he looked calm on the out side inside he was in turmoil with himself, or well Youko anyways.

'_Kurama did you hear that! She's half dead!'_

' That's impossible Youko! She's standing right their m perfectly fine'

" _what do you think then, that she's bending words to scare everyone?'_

" That's entirely possible Youko.'

The both of them watched her closely at first seeing that smug look then the horror of what she had don com crashing down on her slider her eyes into an emotional frenzy.

' Yhea, I'm thinking she wasn't supposed to say that' 

' Well damn it Youko, I don't know, it's not possible!'

' _After 500 years of dealing with the supernatural, then you can talk, human, besides fins out what's wrong with MY woman, say something smart!'_

' damn it Youko, we've been over this, Every pretty girl that crosses our path is not automatically "yours" '

' _bah, that's what YOU think'_

'Youko that what I know, remember Izanai?'

' She was not a WOMAN! She's braindead' 

'And that's why she has straight A's , sure Youko'

' _It was a fluke, and anyways, get back to my kagome'_

'Theirs no "my" in front of her name Youko'

'_fuck off'_

'don't you wish Youko, don't you wish'

Kurama cut out whatever his counter part was saying, knowing he had won that one.

Hiei on the other hand saw a challenge issued, unspoken, but their, naad he had never backed down from a challenge, and he rarely lost. "can you figure me out?" The words were simple nonexistent but to him yet intoxicatingly their, goading.

He knew Though that it was a lie, It was impossible, she was here, standing, not bleeding, not poisoned, strong not weak, walking, talking, Moving, any half dead person would have much trouble in doing those things, she was having none.

Hiei being the kind, gracious, forgiving, nice, kind, and loving guy that he was called her out on it, or well he was going to. Until he too noticed that no signs of deceit were their including the fact that her eyes were practically swimming with panic.

She wasn't lying.

'She let her guard down and revealed something she should not have.' Oh how he would love finding out how this was not a lie, how very much.

Koennma just looked at her like she, or very possibly he, was stupid. He' was pretty sure that kind of thing was impossible. He looked toward Botan; she was ghost white and her smile faded from her face. His pacifier began to tremble in his mouth. Botan took a hesitant step towards kagome. The 'sudden' movement jarring everyone from their stupor, they all began to 'wake'.

Kagome's attention focused solely on Botan, had she figured it out? Had she made the connection? She couldn't be sure, But she swore, if she said that name she'd-

" Kikyo!" Botan whispered, but in a room so stilled and silent with shock it was as if somebody were yelling it. Sesshomaru arched his eyebrow at kagome's slip up, he was slightly disappointed, though not taken by the announcement, he already knew, it wasn't news to him. He was surprised though when the reaper said the dead miko's name.

Kagome's aloof demeanor dissolved in a flurry of fury (hehe) and quickly morphed into an icy and dangerous mood. She glared at Botan for all she was worth, sending shivers up everyone's spines and tremors into Botan, and they were now barely holding her up.

With a menacing and malevolent tone with her deadly eyes as back up kagome growled out

" Call me Kikyo Once more and even your spirit will not remain where you stood, are we in understanding?"

The threat put to such more lively-ness by the tone in which it was said. Botan shaking like a leaf barely nodded but wisely said naught.

" I am NOT Kikyo, nor shall I EVER be!"

Kagome suddenly and sharply turned to face Koennma, he mod radically changing from dark, deadly and dangerous, as she put on the mask of a distant professional "good bye" mask. But nobody was fooled, Her eyes swan with rage, the burning hot of hate, one Yusuke had never seen in his everyone-loving cousin, and it unnerved him even more.

" I've had enough of this Koennma, You will provide me a portal to the Kyoshibi forest. That is close enough to Genkai to float your boats and close enough to my school. I will attend tomorrow. She turned back to face the majority of people, Chibi you're to accompany, no humans, sorry Yuyu, and I can, I can't deal with a fox right now, it's be too much.

You Sesshomaru," she turned to him letting more anger swim to the surface of her face, are not to find me, I'll contact you should I so desire, and right now, I don't.

I'd suggest coming up with an apology real quick if you want that to happen anything in the next 10 months or so. REGARDLESS if it was circumstance that held you, You are a lord of an entire realm, I don't believe circumstance has ever held you, not even when you title was smaller."

It all came out as if it were a well rehearsed script, flowing and smooth in her anger. Kurama frowned slightly under Youko's disappointment. She unfortunately caught the small act. " Oh so the fox boy has a complaint?" She laughed bitterly scaring the whole room " You're all alike aren't you? Ha!" She sneered at him the waved his hands at him dismissively. She knew this had offended him.

Sesshomaru gave her a curious look before lapsing back into not giving a rat's ass.

Koennma suddenly became the focus point, as the anger he felt brimming up boiled over as he yelled. " AREN'T YOU GOING TO GO AFTER NARAKU! HE'S A _DANGEROUS _ DEMON ON THE LOOSE!" The pacifier in Koennma's mouth repeatedly try to sky dive from his mouth and Koennma looking like a fish to try and catch it every few words turned something that ought to have been very serious into something that wasn't

"Patience is a virtue Lord Diaper breath, you'd do well to learn that. If Sesshomaru should happen to find a tongue for apologizing he will be able to tell me when it's time I began to amass my forces and leave" She glanced at Sesshomaru.

The though that almost simultaneously chorused through the room though was

'Forces? What forces does SHE have?' except in Sesshomaru.

" Lady kagome of the west, south, and east. I ask that you formally accept my apology of breaking a vow." Sesshomaru bowed low and waited for a response be fore he rose. " Lord Sesshomaru of Makai and of the west I humbly accept your apology" Sesshomaru rose as she bowed slightly to him. They were even.

The papers on Koennma's desk began to smolder and kagome looked at the fuming infant. She slightly smirked. "Sessho, you're still not coming." She announced slightly over her shoulder stopping him as he began to step towards her to escort her into Kyoshibi. "I've made my decision on that, besides you need to watch for the baboon in Makai" Sessho pouted some before whispering a formal and then not so formal good by as he strode back though the doors. "NICE SEEING YOU AGAIN TOO, JACKASS!" She called over her shoulder playfuly smiling somewhat, the anger fading some.

She turned to Botan glaring at her, not the same death glare as before but still, kagome glaring… who wouldn't be scared? " Portal, Wench" Botan flinched at the choice of words but bore it and did as the lady kagome bid. Sesshomaru smiled at the end of the hallway hearing Kagome's words. Oh how much she had absorbed from the half-wit and him, it was so sweet really, well to him that is.

Hiei followed silently behind kagome as she left, if not a bit grudgingly, they both gladly left a fuming toddler in their wake.

OK well their you guys go, and I'm formally Dedicating this chapter to my friend Chelsea to actually being ably to annoy me into finishing this chappy up ARE YOU HAPPY NOW! Geesh ok so here's the thing I put a bad para or 2 in the last chapter about Hiei and Kurama's reactions to Sessho entering, NO THEY DO NOT HAVE FEELINGS FOR HER YET, well Youko does but that's just Youko and his vanity or lust you decide… (You their Clicker go forth and destroy!) Srry… lol well anywho. Here's this (year's lol) chapter's song is …'Too much food' by Jason Mraz, why? Because I love it, so meh!

**Well you can say that I'm one curly fry in the box of the regular**

**Messing with the flavor oh the flavor that you savor**

**Saving me for last but you better not eat me at all**

**Living in a fast food bag making friends with the ketchup and salt**

**well People say that I'm crazy for not moving on to better things **

**Instead I'm sitting around trash talking with the onion rings**

**But it's much too soon to leave this easy life**

**Pass me the spoon. Pass the analytical knife**

**Cause your about to get cut up and get cut down**

**It's all about the wordplay all about the sound in the tone of my voice**

**You gotta let me make my choice alone before my food gets cold**

**Better shut up or get shot down. It s all about the know how all just a matter of taste**

**Stop telling me the way I gotta play. now Too much food on my plate.**

**well Believe it or not I super sized my sights on the **

**surprise in the cereal box**

**My stomachs smaller than my eyes **

**so I went to see the doctor and he said "turn my head and then cough" **

**I didn't listen to what he said instead I couldn't wait to get off**

**He said I can have this but I cant have that**

**That I should keep wishing I was living the life of a cat but uh..**

**I ain't the one whose gonna be missing the feast**

**Just like you aint the one who seems to be calming the beast**

**Now your about to get cut up and get cut down**

**It's all about the wordplay all about the sound in the tone of my voice**

**You gotta let me make my choice alone before my food gets cold**

**Better shut up or get shot down. It s all about the know how all just a matter of taste**

**Stop telling me the way I gotta play. you're puttin' Too much food on my plate.**

**if you are what you eat in my case I'll be sweet so come and get some**

**I'm so o-over it.**

**Because your about to get cut up and get cut down**

**It s all about the know how all just a matter of taste**

**Stop telling me the way I gotta play. Too much food on my plate.**

**Come on!**

**Get up it get get it down (X2)**

**Get up to get get it and get up to get get it **

**and come on get up to come on**

**get up to get get it and get some (x3) **

**there's too much food on my plate**

**come on!(x3)**

**Well then their ya goes!**

_**AND THE CREDITS ROLL!**_


	6. Here In This Wilderness

Heya guys! Welcome to chapter 6: Here in This Wilderness, Of Pain Don't Mean A Thing'

Keep in mind my friends, I just thought this name up so don't kill me k? I'm here on an internet-less computer writing… in 2-3 weeks it'll get internet so I'm gonna try to catch up and write a chapter or two before then, and lucky for you all, I have nothing to do till I either get more cds or this gets internet. So here we go eh? Now if I remember correctly this is the first off the top of my head-type chappys therefore I might possibly get a few details wrong, they will be corrected, And to all of my reviewers. Thank you! Once I get Internet I'll try to respond. And this kinda sorta just hit me…. I never really set a time so while I believe it might have been night when the story started out, with one of those anime/writing only time warps in this chapter it's nearing dusk… sorry if that caused in confusion kk?

**_EDIT:_** OMGOMGOMGOMG I finnaly got this to my internet comp! . which is SO old that cd's with info other than mucis dosen't work on it! So I had to take it too school, and get around the school blocking system, so sorry for the long delay!

**_Everyone: On With Tha' show!_**

With Koennma and the unfortunate few left behind

Koennma's face was slowly turning the most repulsive shade of purple-red. Botan noticing the transformation' began to get nervous and set up portals for the rest of the reitantei. Quick escape you know.

" KAGOMEEE! GET BACK HERE!" FWOOSH! Fire was dancing among a pile of papers on his desk, the flames reflecting in Koennma's eyes. Yusuke's eyes went wide; he had never experienced this Koennma. You know the pissy man-boy version. He along with Kuwabara and Kurama looked over to Botan nervously, she was their escape. Botan nodded and a giant portal pulled them all onto the street nearest to the park that was right by Kurama's house. They all sighed in relief, for they were safe.

"Well anybody want to come over to my house and discuss this new development?" Kurama, always being the levelheaded smart one, asked turning to the group offering a delicate hand towards his house.  
Kuwabara shook his head and made up some lame excuse about Ekiichi. Yusuke shrugged and began walking towards Kurama's house. Kurama threw a quick glance back at Kuwabara's retreating form, shrugged and then caught up to Yusuke as they walked towards his house in companionable silence.

In Kyoshibi Forest with Hiei and Kagome

The Portal opened about 7 feet above a tree dropping an unsuspecting Hiei and Kagome into an unforgiving tree. Hiei recovered 3 feet before they landed on the tree and landed gracefully on a strong branch. Kagome on the other hand recovered only 1.5 feet above the tree and only caught a moderately strong branch before quickly dropping onto a strong branch as her old one snapped and fell 20 or so feet to the bottom. She glared after the branch and silently would have willed it into flames if only they hadn't been in a forest.

Hiei smirked as the onna glared at the falling limb.  
"Having problems onna?" He asked as innocently as he could without puking.  
"Not the problems YOUR having Mr.Chibi" She said smiling. Hiei glared at her. What problems? He had no problems, and that's when he felt it, thin tendrils of power were binding him to his branch as the branch began to glow in holy powers. Soon the holy powers concentrated on one spot nearest the tree and with a loud crack the branch snapped off of the tree and he began to fall unable to move. He glared at the woman using his ice and fire powers to blow the branch she was on into itty-bitty bits making sure she fell as well. She gracefully landed the branch below her and waved goodbye to Hiei smirking as he came ever closer to the ground.

Kagome, however, was pissed, thou she didn't let on, and she was GOING to let the apparition go before he hit the ground but now watching his wounded pride would be just as fun. She smirked waving goodbye at him thinking of how much pain he was likely to be in soon. Oh yes, today she would let him slide with only that, but pulling a stunt like that and she'd make sure he got the point that she was a miko. A black rosary would look nice on him, don't you think? Or perhaps for the pure evilness of it hot pink? Yeees hot pink.

Hiei began to struggle more, the ground nearing at an alarming rate. Suddenly he stopped, midair, no more falling, but all the more bindings, he looked up to see what had caused this, and he saw Kagome looking down on him tendrils of her holy powers playing from her fingers like some demented puppeteer. He glared up at her smirking face.

Oh poor Mr.Chibi, he's caught himself in a bind now hasn't he? How does Mr.Chibi expect to get out of this one hmmm?'

Her smirk had become somewhat malicious and her eyes gleamed in some untold evil mischief. It gave Hiei shivers, and that was saying something. Nonetheless he glared at her, just who did she think she was? Although mental note to himself to find a way to keep her out of his head.

"I don't think, I know who I am, Mr.Chibi, and unless you find being smashed on the ground a way to understand that, I suggest you apologize, unreasonable woman that I am and all, make it fast." She gave him an expecting look, smirking as she raised the Hiei-topped branch higher. ((Hiei antenna topper!))

If Hiei hadn't been restrained he would have ripped this woman to shreds, mission or not, Koennma could go to hell for all he cared. He growled, a deep and feral sound. The response was not what he neither wanted nor expected, she laughed, which made him growl even more.

He took a deep breath gritting his teeth against the words that felt as if they were burning his mouth.

"Fine then, KA-GO-ME" His eye twitched in annoyance, "…" He couldn't say it, it wasn't gonna happen, it ground against all that he was. "Let me go!" yes that would work just fine for him, he'd feel a lot better in the next few days with a hole through his head than if he had said the words she wanted, he'd take the pain.

Kagome did the unexpected then, she sighed and smiled, not one of those fake, put-off smiles but a real smile. Hiei felt the bindings begin to loosen and he fell a short distance to the nearest suitable branch. He looked at the woman above him and jumping a bit higher, looking at her with the w-t-f face; his crimson orbs squinted in confusion. Was this woman bipolar or something?!

Kagome laughed then, long and hard, She fell back on the tree clutching her stomach as small tears leaked out of her eyes from whatever humor she had found in this all.

" Ha, Hiei, you should haha see your face!" She pointed a finger at him that shook with her laughter. His face went blank for a moment before returning as the wtf face 2.0. "You know Hiei that was sadly predictable, I would have dropped you if you had actually said sorry, you didn't seem the kind, I let you go because you said my name. Ah, I forgot how much fun torturing demons was though." She wiped away the last remnants of her tears and yawned, standing up on the branch.

Hiei only blinked at her, suddenly feeling a sense of foreboding, it would be hard watching this woman, of that he was sure, he'd have to stay alert. "Training" he whispered smiling a small smile to himself as he turned and jumped down to begin preparing the clearing they had been dropped off in.

Kagome watched in amusement as the koormie whispered training' oh yes that would be fun, maybe she could convince the pinecone-head to train her with his katana, she had a limited use with such and swords were considerably more sturdy than bows and arrows. She jumped down and went further into the forest to find firewood and such.

Onna where are you going?' Hiei's sharp mental prod made her stop for a moment then continue on as she responded aloofly.  
It's called a name, use it' she bent down picking up a few pieces of wood then straightened and continued walking deeper into the forest.

She could practically hear Hiei's sigh Kagome'

Why, how nice of you to ask Hiei! I'm off for firewood, if you must know'

This time she did hear his sigh. Fine stay close' he bit out. If she went too far and one of Naraku's lackeys decided to join them he might not be able to help her in time. She seemed to have a certain weakness with Naraku and her father.  
Ok' she agreed, no need to fight on this one, if anything her bickering with Inuyasha had finally taught her which battles to give up, this being one of them.

After 30 minutes of collecting a full load, bringing the wood back and then going out for more Kagome brought in her 5th load and sat down by the fire Hiei had started as she walked in the clearing. Fire demons were helpful ne?

"So who's hunting?" The question startled Hiei but he quickly recovered. He hadn't expected the onna to think of something like that.  
"Have I been given a choice?" he asked dryly, women didn't hunt.  
"If I asked who then yes, I'll hunt I've got no problem with it, I'm not an average girl from this tim-uh- well from Ningenkai, Hiei." She gave him a bored look silently waiting for his answer. "I doubt you know how to kill anything with out one of your human contraptions, which to my knowledge you don't have on you." He snorted ignorantly. "You mean a gun? No I don't have one but yes I am perfectly capable without." She said indignantly. "I'll hunt" they both said it at the same time, Hiei flinching hearing her voice so obviously intertwined with his own.  
"No, I will" Again their voices mixed.  
This time Kagome sighed, this was while amusing, it wasting what light they had.

"Fine since you insist, you hunt, I'll clean the catch and cook, fair deal?" Kagome asked already knowing he'd say yes. Hiei gave her a skeptical look, eyeing her, looking for some kind of con but after finding none he hned' and nodded as he sprinted off into the surrounding forest. Kagome smiled; again, she seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

While Hiei was off scaring and tormenting the helpless creatures of the forest Kagome busied herself with the small task of finishing camp up, and then boiling a pot of water, gathering herbs for flavor and otherwise preparing dinner without the main ingredient. It wasn't too long before Hiei returned with a sizeable catch of 3 rabbits and 2 fish. The fish surprised Kagome, she had known the river was close but she hadn't even considered that factor when getting the herbs. Hiei only raised one of those delicately curved eyebrows at her as he dropped his catch, blankly staring at her.

Kagome sighed rolling her eyes as she began to clean the first rabbit. " Leave it up to you to catch the one thing I didn't think of when gathering herbs, Hiei" Hiei's blank face stayed firmly intact, fish and rabbits seemed normal enough to him, what did the onna mean?" Kagome rolled her eyes again pointedly looking at Hiei as she attempted wiping a small lock of hair out of her face and only succeeding in whipping a smudge of blood on her forehead. "On the first Hiei, if you're not guarding your thoughts please use my name, and on the second, I wasn't thinking of the river, I expected you to bring back some rabbits and maybe a deer, not fish."

Kagome had efficiently sliced and diced the first rabbit and was begging on the second moments after she spoke. Hiei to say the less was surprised, most ningen mountain men' couldn't clean that fast, he lightly wondered how she had learned to accomplish such so fast. Not that she was any better than him or many other demons that is. Hiei's time to reply with some witty comment had passed and so he stood their silently watching her clean and gut the second rabbit while battling against the stubborn piece of her hair that was quite apparently bugging her considerably, because in all her attempts she only succeeded in wiping more blood on herself. By the time Kagome was done with the second rabbit Hiei was transfixed with the blood on her forehead.  
It was now bugging him, giving him the ludicrous thought that Kagome looked so… dare he think it, (no) that Kagome was pretty', had it been a painting he would have stolen it for his own private collection. He would have stolen in even if it had been painted by the lowliest ningen, and Hiei hated that thought, that this scene would forever be in his mind, something that he could never have, save only in his memories. So transfixed with Kagome and her painted forehead was Hiei that he never even noticed the fact that she had finished with the rabbit and fish, and that she had stood looking at him questioningly.  
Hiei was finally brought out of her daze when Kagome waved her hand in front of his face. He blinked once or twice as his mind becoming once again aware of his surroundings and the words that Kagome was saying. "-Hello? Hiei? Ningenkai to Hiei! Having fun in lala land? As I was saying, I'm going to get a few more herbs I'll be right back ok? You are now being returned to your nightly viewing, we are sorry for the inconvince." Kagome's voice took on an announcer-ish voice at the last sentence. What the hell had she meant? Nightly viewing? Hiei was just at a loss, which fully brought him crashing back to reality "What is that supposed to mean onna? Is that some human thing?"

Kagome smiled as the apparition came back to earth, the little space cadet had been off among the stars for awhile. (That was an uber fun sentence) "Nothing just ignore it, I seem to bee a little hyper after finally getting back into the forest. I tend to get abit weird when I'm hyper." She shrugged and then weakly smiled offering her excuse. After another silence, which Hiei had purposely tried to make uncomfortable to Kagome, Kagome rolled her eyes lightly flicking him in the forehead. Hiei growled again and harshly grabbed her wrist, giving her his best death-glare.  
"Do not touch me onna, you did not ask, nor did I give you permission." He threw her wrist down like it burned all the while glaring. Kagome's hands went to her hips, like she was either annoyed or about to scold him. She glared back defiantly and with an angry mocking tone (if that's possible) spat out "Well excuse me, Mr. High and mighty, but can I please flick your forehead to get your damn attention?! God what the hell is it with you demons? Seriously, it's like you all try to piss me off sometimes!" Hiei nonchalantly replied  
"It's called a name, use it" poorly imitating her voice. While Hiei's exterior was calm and aloof inside Hiei was grinning like a childish idiot over using her own words against her. Kagome glared at him sneering. " Oh yhea, now I'm scared, he can throw my own words back at me, big deal!" Kagome turned her back to him and began to stomp her way into the forest for the herbs she needed, when Hiei grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. Hiei was right up in her face fury clearly written on his face. How dare she turn her back on him! He had killed greater people for such an insult! She would do well to remember he did not take disrespect lightly.  
"Onna, do not turn your back to me!"  
Kagome returned his glare coolly not flinching in the least. Then after only a moment she sneered contempt burning brightly in her eyes. "Ooh, look I think I made wittle chibi mad" Her voice was mocking him in that stupid baby talk' that humans seemed so fond of. Funny, it didn't amuse him one bit. Hiei glared at her and used all of his will power not to slap her for her ignorance. Kagome must have seen something in his eyes for her own gained a far away look and her lips lost their sneer and turned into a small neutral frown as she whispered. "You know, he- he looked at me like this, and then…" Kagome stopped and Hiei smelt salt, the onna was about to cry yet she smiled, but this smile was not happy, no it was that self-hating sad smile people never expected from one such as her. Hiei flinched; he did not like tears, not one bit.

Kagome's eyes dulled further looking more like Kikyo's than her own. She did not cry, she did not talk, but she did remember, and lucky Hiei she wasn't guarding her mind very well.  
The first thing Kagome thought when she saw the rage in Hiei's eyes was of the angry crimson of Naraku's right before his half of the jewel was taken and added to her own. The second thought was of moments before when Inuyasha had looked at her with that pure unrestrained (or barely so) rage, because she had deliberately put herself in harms way to protect an innocent bystander who had been caught up in the battle.  
Then he had yelled at her and her stupidity, she being as she was yelled back and during the distraction Naraku took the chance to attack. He aimed his evil tentacles for Inuyasha's heart, and he'd have killed Inuyasha too had Kagome not giving him the small warning. Nonetheless the wound was fatal, Inuyasha lasted through the battle, and then no longer, his will to live gone and his soul drawn by Kikyo's dark arts.  
Kagome snapped out of her memories and immediately threw up her mental barriers throwing Hiei out painfully. She glared at him once more, and stood their holding her ground. While she was mad, she would not disrespect him for being curious, it was her own damn fault anyways. Hiei snapped back into his own mind almost cringing from the pain, it took him a moment to find his bearings but once he did he saw that Kagome was about ready to run, the other thing he noticed was the anger behind her eyes. That anger was not directed in a safe place though, it was directed at herself, most likely for letting her barriers down and letting such valuable information through.

Hiei with his lightning fast thinking skills thought of a way to at least change the subject abit and dismiss her without angering her further, he did not know how much control she had over her powers in a state like this. He of course being the prideful demon he was gave her a disdainful glance before speaking. "Fine, Kagome, you may touch me to gain my attention and no more." He would be kind, just this once, even though the idea bothered him. He didn't even let Kurama or Yusuke touch him constantly, nor did either of them honestly have his permission. Now this onna, whom he had just met, had gained this. The thought was preposterous and annoying, but he had already said it, and words couldn't be taken back.  
Kagome's entire aura changed again and she smiled and bowed slightly to him. "Thank you." Those words, simple as they were, hit home, he hadn't heard those words from many people in his life, not quite so sincerely, like she put her whole heart behind those words. Yukina was the only other who had said those words to him like that, yet for some reason this did not bother him. What did bother him though, was his sudden urge to smiles back. The urge was small but that alone set him on edge.  
Hiei opted for a curt nod to acknowledge her and then silence. Kagome sighed and tried to blow that persistent strand of hair out of her face only to have it come crashing back down in the middle of her forehead. She rolled her eyes nodded back to Hiei and turned to go collect the herbs for the fish. Hiei watched her go with a mild fascination, and then, against his better judgment, followed her into the forest as she collected her herbs. It didn't take her long and every movement she made was sure and precise and soon she had her herbs and she headed back to their camp.  
Hiei was surprised when she didn't flinch when he jumped down from the tree he had been watching her from and then landed next to her, matching her pace and walking her back to camp in a companionable silence. She did however smile and slow her pace abit, her quick and sure steps becoming lazy and comfortable. Once again Hiei resisted the urge to smile, though he wasn't sure if it was the urge to smile or rather growl, how was it this woman could be so at peace with him? He was a murderous blood-bathed demon and here and now she let down her guard with him.  
Nonetheless Hiei matched the lazy stroll and rested both his hands on the back of his head in a very Yusuke-ish fashion. Here with her this once he would let the calming waves that rolled off of her subdue him and he would put his guard down just abit. The walk back, which at Kagome's first pace would have only taken 2 or 3 minutes, took them about 5 or 6. The whole way neither said anything, both of them not wanting to break the peace that had enveloped them both. Kagome and Hiei both enjoyed the 5 minutes through the quickly darkening forest.  
When they got back to camp Kagome silently went to cooking the food preparing the food with and experts care, using less spices on Hiei's knowing that demons did not enjoy them quite as much as humans seemed to. Kagome made a fish and a rabbit for both leaving the other one without any spices what so ever. Hiei on the other hand sat down 3 or four feet away from her and watched as she did everything with and experts grace, and took and appreciative notice of the way she prepared his own food. After a good 10-20 minutes the sun had left this side of the earth a barren black and had left both Hiei and Kagome with a fine meal.  
Kagome being as practical as she could be sometimes pulled her camp-ware plates from her pack and loaded Hiei's up first served him his (to which she got a muffled thanks') and then served her own. Once again they ate in near silence, the only words breaking it being an It's good,' from the oh-so-silent-one. The minutes ticked by in the sounds of a forest, the chirps and cricks of random bugs the occasional croak of a frog and the seldom call of a night bird. The night sang all around them but they did not add to its melody lyrics. Hiei quickly downed his eating the fish first and then tearing into the rabbit. Kagome on the other hand took her time and when she noticed that Hiei was almost done with the rabbit got the other one and set it on his plate. Hiei looked up at her a bit of food hanging out of this mouth question in his eyes, he looked like a your school boy to Kagome, who of course smiled and resisted the temptation to giggle.  
"Are you not going to eat it?" Hiei asked food still in his mouth and he hungrily chewed away. "No you seem a lot more hungrier than I am, I can make some ramen later if I get hungry, you go ahead and eat it." Her voice held the utter conviction that it had earlier when she had said thank you.' He looked at her skeptically; she was pretty skinny as it was. "Are you sure?" Kagome let out a slight laugh at his display of concern, though she doubted that he realized just what exactly he was doing. "Go ahead Hiei, I'm quite capable on my own"  
He quirked his eye brow at her and then slightly shrugged to himself as he began to eat the rabbit. It was cooked rare, just the way he liked it. This woman was smart, and while her cooking held none of the finesse and such that Kurama's held It was just as good, if not better, she was a good cook, she knew a demon's palate, or at least his apparently. Kagome silently took he last bites of her fish and then set her plate with the rest of the dirty dishes, she'd have to go wash those in the river tonight. To which she mentally sighed, she hated doing the dishes. Hiei quickly finished as well but refused to give Kagome his plate instead opting for picking up the rest of the dirty dishes.  
"I believe it's my turn to do the work, too make it fair and all." He called over his shoulder aloofly as he headed to the river. Kagome half-heartedly rolled her eyes and went to go fetch something from her bag before following him. "I know you just rolled your eyes Kagome." Hiei stated somewhat playfully. Kagome smiled back mischievously and replied in an innocent tone, "But how? I do believe your back was turned to me Hiei!" You could tell that the ignorance was an act. "I'm physic, Kagome, you cannot fool me!" Hiei declared in an equally phony arrogant voice.  
"Really?! I didn't have the slightest clue! And all this time! I though you were just a mind reader!" Kagome couldn't help but laugh at this; the laughter illuminated the night and her eyes, which shone brightly in the darkness now. Hiei didn't laugh but he did slightly chuckle before catching himself and discontinuing the act. The rest of the way was spent in a playful mood yet neither of them talked.  
Kagome was amazed, she was amazed that Hiei would let down his guard this much and be so playful with her! Hiei was actually making voices and acting…well goofy, and theirs two words that you've hardly ever seen in a sentence before Hiei and goofy. Soon Hiei and Kagome reached the river.  
It was a beautiful sight, The moon was viewable from here, The wide gap in the trees providing a look at the clear sky, The moon was almost full and the edge that wasn't fully illuminated was rimmed with a dull silver so you could see the whole moon. The bright moonlight reflected off of the clear blue water making it seem as if it were a river of moonlight instead of 21st century river water. And the grass that was vibrant green in the day was a washed out silver/olive-green. The Sky was clear and most all of the stars shove brightly in contrast to the dark blue/black of the night sky. Small purple flowers dotted the clearing surrounding the river and they too were bathed in the moon's beauty. The whole place seemed so surreal. Kagome could have sworn she had never seen a place so beautiful by moonlight.  
Fireflies Danced above the water and in the clearings letting their own little lights shine. The whole thing was rather romantic actually, oh how Kagome wished Sango and Miroku could be here instead of her, and she just knew they would love it. Kagome went and sat against a tree that faced all of the beauty she could see and then got out what she had brought with her. A pencil and sketchpad. Only Sango, Miroku, Rin, and Sesshomaru knew she drew. She didn't tell or show many people, because she didn't think she was all that good. She glanced over to Hiei who was simply staring at her with wide eyes. When their eyes met he looked away and she was sure that she could see a tinge of red on his moon-washed face.  
The more Kagome stared at Hiei the more transfixed she became. He looked almost angelic in the moonlight, his whole body bathed in the light of the moon accentuating every muscle and fine feature about him. His garnet eyes shining bright against the silver liquid that seemed to cling to him. A silver fire seemed to dance in his eyes. "Hey, Hiei" she whispered without knowing it until his name had passed her lips. He looked over too her his eyes entrancing her almost to breathlessness.  
"Forget about the dishes for now, just enjoy the sight, it wont last forever you know." Once again her voice was a whisper but here in this clearing where even the crickets seemed to hold their breath any sound other than the quiet babbling of the water carried a long way. Hiei looked at her then the dished and then nodded standing up and going to the nearest tree and stood leaning his back against it as he gazed into the moon.  
Kagome was sure she was under water, she couldn't breathe. The sight of Hiei standing there like that was just so stunning. He had abandoned his cloak at his feet as he let the slight breeze glide over his skin. His hair swayed gently in that breeze, and the small edges of his shirt lifted ever-so-gently in the wind as the wind created waves across the material of his black silver-bathed shirt. Hiei's eyes held the fierceness of a fighter, alert and ready to fight, the cold hardness and yet they held the sorrow of his curse, of his birth, of his life, one where he had been alone all his life, an outsider. His bandaged arm was only in his pocket by a thumb and the angle of his body suggested that he was in a relaxed state of fighting awareness, relaxed enough to be carefree but ready to rumble at a moment's notice, like a cobra, It was like a lazy-yet-deadly pose a deadly beauty. His bare arms glittered in the silver of the moon and the moon caught each and every single curve, highlighting his muscles in every way, making them look thin and deadly and he truly looked surreal. He held himself with a grace that no other could come close to, an air of aloofness. He looked like a god, crowned and haloed by the moon, a deity of death, of beauty, of perfection.  
Kagome had to draw him, while at first she was going to draw the landscape; he was just so much more beautiful out here in this place. So for about 30 minutes Kagome furiously drew on her sketchpad catching ever-minute detail, shading and then filling in the beautiful scenery that seemed to pale in comparison. When Kagome was done and she looked at the finished picture she almost gasped. Everything was exactly the same; it looked as if she had taken a picture with the most expensive wondrous camera. She was amazed her that she could do something so beautiful. She would make sure to frame and preserve this picture well, But until then Kagome safely tucked it away and began to sketch the scenery as well and then once finished with that she re-sketched it but added a majestical dragon into the middle of the picture. All in all it only took her about 50 minutes to complete all of them, which had to be a record for her.  
Soon after Kagome had finished drawing him, Hiei had began to stare at her as he noticed her beauty. The soft light from the moon made her soft skin look like ivory, and it glowed in a ethereal light. Her eyes were focused and determined as she worked she hair gently teased by the wind to frame her face making her look even more angelical. Her sapphire eyes danced with the silver of the moon, as if inviting the beauty of the moon to play with her. The few shadows that the tree cast on her only served to make the light highlight all of her curves in all the right places. It was them that he noticed the 2 magenta stripes on the back of her neck that ran vertically. They seemed to Soak up the moonlight and then glow in them, which almost seemed to spread to her face, accenting all the petite curves of her delicate face. Her clothes rippled in the wind making her seem as if the wind caressed her and only her. To him she looked like a goddess had just graced him and this earth with her presence.  
Hiei blinked and shook those thoughts from his head, becoming infatuated with Kagome could never lead to good things, she would reject any advances, and she would reject him. Just like everyone else had. No, he would not act on these…feelings; ones that he did not readily recognize, But Hiei could forever keep this image in his mind for all eternity. That he could do, that he would do. He watched hungrily as Kagome Stood up and stretched. Lust, that's all this was, yes, and he would remain firm in that belief! Hiei stared away as Kagome turned to him yawned for a moment then bent down to put her sketchpad on the ground. Kagome then proceeded to brush off the grass and such that clung to her clothes. Kagome turned her torso this way and that popping her back and then leaning against her tree in a similar fashion as Hiei, only her hands were behind her and her battle readiness was less evident. Here eyes held a myriad of different emotions, determination and sorrow being the most forth coming, while happiness was only slightly shadowed. Hiei's eyes softened, and he could do nothing to stop it, as he let a small smile grace his perfect lips.  
He closed his eyes and let go raising his face to the moon letting the breeze ruffle his hair and throw leaves at him, he didn't care right now, he felt so totally at ease that he forgot all about his surroundings and danger and such. Kagome stole a quick side glance and saw Hiei looking at her with a soft look and then he did something she thought she would only dream of seeing, He smiled, and then he closed his eyes and tilted his head up as the wind picked up and swirled silver/amber leaves around him, and yet he seemed not to notice nor care. Suddenly Kagome stood up straight, as quietly as possible and began to slowly walk over to him as if in a trance each step measured and heavy with a purpose that is being denied. Soon Kagome stood in front of a completely relaxed and angelic Hiei. Which shocked her even more. He looked so peaceful like that; she just wanted to touch him. No, she couldn't! What would he think of her then? After all she had seen, after how much he had opened up too her, he would turn her away, and she knew it. Heck she would turn her away; she was a nobody, not worthy of him, not worthy of anyone. He would close up and she would loose what little she had of him, the real Hiei.  
She was so close to him though! Perhaps he was too far off in lala land that he wouldn't notice. Of course he was! All those leaves were hitting him and yet he didn't flinch. He must be in side himself or something, unaware to the world, right? So close, too just reach out and touch him, that's all she would do, touch him, feel his soft warm skin under her fingers. Kagome bit her lip and then, propelled by some unknown force, she caressed his cheek lightly running her fingers over his angelic skin at first and then more wanting to feel more of his beautiful person. Kagome was by then so lost in the sensations coursing through that she closed her eyes and failed to notice Hiei's eyes go wide.  
(Ooooh how tempted I am to leave it there! You're all lucky I said I was writing 7,000 words!)  
Hiei was so lost in himself that he barely noticed the warm feeling on his check, and then he became more aware of the feeling, he came rushing back into reality and he felt the wind begin to die down but the warm feeling didn't, it felt like a hand, and then he opened his eyes to find Kagome caressing his check with her silky soft hands. Here eyes were closed so she didn't know he was aware of her presence he slowly lowered his head and looked straight at her. The wind finally stopped and silver/amber leaves began to fall all around them framing her already beautiful body with more beauty, she looked so much more amazing up close, just like a goddess come to earth, he was sure of it.  
Hiei felt himself loosing himself into those sensations of her silky, soft, warm, hands gently caressing his face. He closed his eyes for abit biting back the urge to return the gesture, surely she would pull away disgusted. He fought and fought against what his body was telling him to do until he lost and pressing his cheek into her hand reached one of his hand to fan over her cheek softly dragging his calloused hands over her perfect skin. His fingers began to burn with the desire to feel more of her, but he contented himself to her cheek and chin He closed his eyes again letting her image linger on his eyelids. How beautiful she looked with his hand on her face. Gorgeous was too weak a word to describe it, beautiful was to weak as well, no words could describe how good she looked, not goddess, not perfect, nothing, no word existed, save maybe one, Kagome.  
Ever so slightly they both slowly opened their eyes at a slow rate, both's heart rates picking up more and more as they nervously opened their eyes both somehow aware the other was doing the exact same thing.  
The Winds picked up once more and swirled violently around them, the air seemingly made of silver moon, the purple petals and amber leaves draped in it and slowly but surely both of their aura's wound it's ways into the whirl wind, black bleeding into silver and the dark crimson of Kagome's aura creating a beautiful display of colors. Finally both Hiei and Kagome's eyes snapped open and the whirlwind melted away as if sliding down a canvas leaving only air behind. The crimson and black of Kagome's and Hiei's Aura pooling together at their feet mixing in an entrancing concoction of black and blood red. The pool began to contract slowly in on it's self. Thou the disturbingly awesome display went unnoticed as Kagome and Hiei only stared at each other their hands frozen into the others faces, both to afraid to break this trance, wary of the consequences that would come of it and the obvious pain that would follow. Good memories turned into bad and then to worse. Their joint horror story.  
Kagome stood stock still a blank look on her face to hide the fear of what was to come once this silence was broken. Would she loose Hiei? Would he close up on her and sever their ties? Would he be angry, and turn those eyes that brought back painful memories, on her? Her heart beat faster and faster, she was so sure that her heart would beat itself right out of her chest before anything happened at this rate. At least their would be no consequences to that, well not big one's anyways.  
Hiei could feel a small bead of sweat roll down the back of his neck and his heart jump about and flutter wildly in his chest. He stayed as still as a statue, determined to not let this lull ever end if he could help it. He calmly and slowly morphed his face into a mask of complete and utter indifference. He would not let her wake from her daze. Because right here and right now he had her, he could touch her, feel her soft skin and warmth, but after she rose from this trance he would never get to touch her again, he would never feel her soft skin in his hands ever again. For she would turn him away like all the others. He would be rejected and have to stay at a cold distance from her for the rest of her and his life, for the rest of this mission, forever.

Suddenly something snapped, they both drew their hands away from each other and took a step back, their fear reaching its climax. What would happen now? Who would be the first to talk? Why, what had possessed them to do such a thing? What kind of fools were they?! Kagome was the first to move after that, she hung her head in shame her eye's downcast as she bit her lip once again. Hiei then took another step back and clenched his fist. Through the hair that shadowed her face, Kagome could see his fist clench and braced herself to be hit. Hiei had thought Kagome had hung her head in disgust and hate; she hated him now of that he was certain. Kagome hated herself right then, she disgusted even herself now, she was too lowly for even Naraku to want for a whore, she felt her thin frame begin to shake in rage at herself.  
Hiei saw Kagome begin to shake and he could only imagine it was in rage at him for touching her in such a way, He felt tears prick at his eyes for the second time in his life, oh how he loathed himself now! He should have been slain at birth like he was supposed to have been! Then he would not do such stupid things! What a fool he was, and idiot and imbecile, He was not even of a high enough standard to the Kuwabara's handmaid. He was a disgrace to demon kind!  
Kagome felt tears come to her eyes, how sorry she was! How she wished she could take back the monstrous act she had just committed! Hiei's and Kagome's Tears fell at the same time Hiei's crystallizing into a silver tear gem, while Kagome's miraculously also hardened into a silver tear gem. Hiei and Kagome both looked up at each other at the same time Kagome first begging and then Hiei.  
"I'm sorry! Please Hiei-dono, forgive me, I was wrong!"  
"Kagome-sama! I'm sorry, I should never have touched you in such a way, forgive me!" Kagome and Hiei blinked at the same time, looking at each other with confusion and both mixing their voices at the same time once again. (More or less)  
"Why (the hell) are you apologizing to me?"  
Confusion was so clearly etched onto their faces it would have been humorous had the situation not been as such. "Hiei, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have touched you like that! I was out of bounds! Please forgive me!" Kagome got on her knees and bowed and she said this, and Hiei's look was incredulous. "What the fuck do you mean? I'm the one who shouldn't have touched you like that! Forgive me!" Hiei practically yelled making Kagome wince, but nonetheless he pulled her up to his level. Kagome blinked and was silent for a moment and Hiei calmed down some as she thought. "Wait, so I touched you, then you touched me, right?" Hiei nodded "Then we both wanted, theirs nothing for either of us to be sorry about. Ok? You did nothing wrong" Hiei nodded in understanding and smiled letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding. "An you have nothing to be sorry for either." Kagome nodded. Relief washed over the two like tsunamis.  
The two tear gems which had fallen earlier had stopped 3 inches above the contracting puddle of aura and combined making a tear gem of many different colors and then as Relief washed over the two the tear gem hit the puddle merging with it. The puddle pulsed out wards and expanded to Hiei and Kagome grabbing both of them and sinking them both into its depths

Well, Their you go, Chapter 6!!! It's sorta a cliff hanger but I'd have rather left it off at the other part… you people are so freaking lucky. So this was my everything-all chapter. A little bit of comedy, some fluff, angst, drama, and I'd suppose mild suspension at the end… although I know what's gonna happen so It's not bad for me… . Try to guess what I have up my sleeve

OK. To the reviewer who commented on my grammar, yes I really do realize that it's awful and horrid but all I have is a spell check and please know that I'm trying my best so bear with me here. Any who, it's over 7200 words for the story only, not these bits that I write at the beginning and end. Right so enough babble. Review if you want the next chapter! I already have it started with action so I'll be more want to write it but when I'm done I want just 3 measly reviews by the on ff and media miner 3 for each! Don't think I wont do it! So song with me!

_Enjoy the silence- Depeche Mode  
Words like violence  
break the silence  
Come crashing in  
into my little world  
Painful to me  
Pierce right through me  
can't you understand  
Oh my little girl  
All I ever wanted  
all I ever needed  
is here in my arms  
Words are very unnecessary  
they can only do harm  
Vows are spoken  
to be broken  
Feelings are intense  
Words are trivial  
Pleasures remain  
so does the pain  
Words are meaningless  
and forgettable  
All I ever wanted  
all I ever needed  
is here in my arms  
Words are very unnecessary  
they can only do harm  
Enjoy the silence  
**Minna-san: AND THE CREDITS ROLL!**_


	7. Persisto Est Fabula

-1Persisto Est Fabula, Chapter 7of Pain Don't Mean a Thing

I am sorry to say ((ok, only slightly, really let's be honest)) that I hold belief to discontinue this story in the way to write a new one entirely. Granted, I'm gonna be totally unoriginal on this one, and use some of the same bone structure for this fabled new story. But I'm thinking of a new twist I can add to it- a whole chapter of FTW, wow-ness. Mwhaha…. Actually, I'm kinda toying with just writing that Twister onto this story instead. Oh yes, I'm lazy…. Well then.

On to the more (in) formal introdutions.

--

Sorry I've been away for so long, but what can I say? I'm a procrastinator- I can't help it. I've actually kinda lost flame for this story, so In an effort to reclaim said flame, I am going to try to write a few chapters this Spring break to get it to my FTW, Wow-ness chapter. After that- Who knows? Mwhahaha . Wow, my micro word just Changed "Mwhahaha" into " Maharaja" interesting.

It has also come to my attention just how confusing my story is. I formally apologise, for then and the future, knowing that I cannot right this wrong without tainting it just a little bit further. I have no clue if I've gone over what's been shaking in the Feudal era, but I'm about to get a whole lot deeper- and a whole lot more cliché .

Also, I will let you know this upfront. The resulting chapter will no longer be the offspring of some deadly demons plot, it will infact be a chapter That _directly _ interferes with the Anime "Princess Tu Tu" if you don't know what that is, you might want to read up on wikipedia. This interference will be post-anime… somehow. It might be a cameo or I might make it an ongoing understory. I dunno, but either way, Expect Drosselmeyer and Ahiru to make an appearance- If I do continue this forth, Fakir will most certainly come into play. Oh yes, the bishonen cannot be left behind.

Now… where the hell did I leave this thing off at? I've got a story to continue!"

--

_**Drosselmeyer-san: All you children who like stories gather round, **_

_**Minna-san: Persisto Est Fabula!**_

_**--------**_

The morphing darkness that enveloped Hiei and Kagome became unbearable, Suffocating them, filling their lungs with every confused breath. It became a second skin, filling every pore that was possible without completely stopping bodily function, placing so much pressure on every inch and strand of hair, fighting seemed futile; moving seemed ludicrous. Lungs oozed this black liquid, eyes saw nothing, and the darkness now had an acrid smell and taste; like blood.

Hiei and Kagome could both feel energy being pried from their immobile bodies. The Jagan, suddenly awakening beneath this smothering force, pushed and pulled at the mind behind this. It invaded the unsuspecting demon. Once said demon noticed the sudden and swift attack, he pulled back, having drawn the energy he needed anyways, and fled. The black oppression began to fade, a dropped an exhausted Hiei and Kagome to the cold, hard, unforgiving forest floor. Kagome took a small look at Hiei noting he was still breathing and in relief passed out. Hiei on the other hand glanced at the now down-and-out Kagome and struggled to find the small device in his pocket that would alert Koennma of this situation. Hiei knew he would not be awake much longer, and even if by some miracle he was able to resist a different kind of darkness, he would not be able to defend himself or the onna. Once he found it, he opened it to reveal Botan's ever cheery face, which dropped greatly after seeing Hiei in such a state on the other end. Taking little notice of Botan, Hiei croaked out his message.

" We have been attacked, no…strength to fight, in danger, send the fox" and immediately he was gone, immersed in a world of dreamless sleeping, and an urgency to heal quickly.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Botan almost dropped the Compact when Hiei finished what he was saying. What could have possibly taken both of them down? Let alone enough for Hiei to ask for _help._ This. Was. Not. Good. Botan Scurried down vast corridors and through the throng of Ogres all working frantically- more so than they should have been, Botan Idly thought. Without knocking Botan burst through Koennma's Office door. " Koennma! Koennma! Hiei and Kagome have been attacked! Both of them are out cold, oh dear, what could have done this?

Koennma? KOENNMA!! WAKE UP, THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT YOUR STUPID NAPS!!!" Koennma awoke with a start and glowered at Botan.

"And what in the bloody blue blazes are you spouting off about? Can't you see I'm taking my nap?" Botan went Tight lipped her normally kind eyes steely.

"Very well, Koennma, I see your much to busy to deal with the possibly death of Hiei and Kagome. I mean, you're COMPETELY right, this can wait. OR I can just go to Ennma, so go and sleep, I have better people to be informing of this." Botan turned and swept out of the room in a very snappish manner, not leaving any room for a retort or an 'I'm sorry'. Botan was serious, She would Contact Kurama right now, while Locating the Hiei and Kagome…. Hopefully together. She Opened her Compact and moments later a rather groggy Kurama appeared on the screen. "Hello, Botan, anything wrong? Surely your not calling just to chat" Kurama's mouth turned upwards in a sleepy attempt at suave humor. Botan didn't share the humor.

"Hiei and Kagome have been attacked. Both are down and out, Hiei didn't look good at all Kurama, he asked for you. I'm about to use my locator to find him, but I don't expect much of a signal, Kurama."

Kurama nodded gravely, already understanding what this could mean. Instantly, Kurama was thinking of the plants he should bring, what could have done such a thing, how serious it must be for Hiei to want help and a million things, all being processed but the amazingly brilliant and multi-tasking able mind of Suuichi-Youko-Kurama, all three entities were working together for once, rather than at the common odds they were at. Brought out of his deep thinking by a triumphant 'ah-ha' from Botan, Kurama's plans clicked into place

. "found them?" he uttered softly.

"Yes, in the Kyoshibi forest. Near the northern shore of the lake there. Do you think you can find them from there?" Botan looked hopefully at him, and Kurama of course nodded.

"yes" was his short reply before closing his compact and shoving it in his pocket as he gathered the things he would need and took off. He raced through the night, quickly coming to the forest and then after some searching found the pair, both were sickly pale, and their faces were gaunt. Their energy signatures were almost indefinable against the forest, and that was not good. Kurama immediately drew herbs from the multiple pockets in his attire. Noting Kagome's energy was fluctuating less, and was not nearly as drained, Kurama attended to Hiei first. Opening his mouth he placed a single leaf of the Majartei plant under his tongue. This would give him a slight boost in energy, and help stabilize it . Still Hiei did not wake. His worry and attention were refocused when he heard Kagome scream, if silently, and writhe. Then suddenly, it stopped, everything stopped; no longer could the birds and the sounds of the forest be heard, for everything was frozen in place.

Just as oddly, and increasingly alarming this had happened, a voice rang out; lauging at his expense, it seemed- at all of their expenses.

" What will you do now, little fox? What can you do now?" The frozen landscape suddenly jumped to life, but not in a way one would expect nor want. Eyes opened and peered at him from the scenery, as if the trees and the forest were mere back drops, cut in the shape he desired to see from.

" The Miko and the Fire Demon, attacked by a Shadow hand! Oh, what tragedy, what delight- for, what could one such as you do for them? You're mission will fail quite horribly and _everyone_ will_ suffer!_ If only you could but wake the Miko, for surely she could feel the brazen trail left behind, _surely she_ could do something." Seeing the foxes incredulous face dawn with some semblance of recognition the mysterious eye-man laughed again.

"Oh dear, I believe I've said too much, the story **must** continue on now!" he chuckled now, more to himself than for affect.

"Ah, I have overstayed, it's seems time for some tea- Come Uzura, we have much left to be done, and you to have use of!" His last, albit, annoying chuckle faded leaving only the monstrous eyes behind which winked at Kurama and then disappeared with a 'pop' as the forest once more lived and colored like it should.

After Kurama's senses returned he set to waking Kagome- for even if the Event itself made no sense- what was said, for the most part, did. Pulling a mortar and pestle out from some confine on his body Kurama laid roots and herbs next to where they now lay on the grass in front of him. He began to grind them into a poultice and, for the final touch went to collect water from the lake. Just as he dipped his hands in a small cry rose from the surface just as the small Duck that had made the sound surfaced, looking rather hurried for breath. It took a simple look at the boy and her surroundings, and just a suddenly as realization dawned on her- so did unconsciousness as she fainted.

'T_hat could NOT have been a normal duck response' _ Kurama mused, slightly _a_mused by this strange event. He took the water to his mortar and finished his concoction.

He dipped in two fingers and opened Kagome's mouth, putting, what was destined to be ill-flavored, onto her tongue. He then moved to Hiei removing the leaf from earlier and doing the same. Kagome, of course roused first and sat upright, her hand accompanying her temple as she did so.

" Kurama, what the hell just happened? The last I remember is walking here, and… and _nothing._" Just before Kurama had the chance to answer Hiei awoke in much the same fashion, if not more confused.

" Why the hell am I here? Why the hell are _you_ here Kurama? As I recall KaGoMe," he obliged grudgingly. " said you were not to follow…." silence.

"WHAT is the god-awful taste in my mouth?" Both Hiei and Kagome looked at Kurama suspiciously. Kurama, of course, merely rolled his eyes and went to wash out his mortar.

" Some demon of an unknown fashion attacked you both, in a ditch effort Hiei called me fore help before the two of you passed out… both of your energies are astoundingly low, more as if they were drained by a magic or force than had you battled and over-exerted yourself." Never once did he mention the odd old man, nor look at the duck that seemed to be staring through him with… _intelligence, with knowing._ It was simply too unnerving.

After much bickering and protesting the fox got up to leave, he was , of course, surprised when the duck silently followed him. Sighing he picked the duck up and drowned out the sound of Kagome and Hiei muttering to each other over the events that they could not remember.

" What _are_ you little duck? You look like you, like you understand something I cannot even fathom." The duck merely looked up and gave a quaint quack as she burrowed further into Kurama's arms. He sighed. Why couldn't his life have _some_ semblance of normalcy? He chuckled. _' not as if what I am in itself is normal in the least. Perhaps it is too much to ask'_

_**-**_-------------------------------------

After much annoyance Kagome managed to convince Hiei to meditate with her to regain their powers. Each sat to face each other, knees touching. Through half-lidded eyes Hiei glared at Kagome. He was not so weak as to need her assistance in such a menial task. Of course, what really angered him was that her argument for such was valid and could not, under call of duty, be ignored. Being separated at the moment could be dangerous, sure, being together hadn't done anything to _prevent_ what had happened, but it had gotten them help. Kagome glanced up at the koormie and chuckled at an unexpected thought.

'_he's a lot like what I image any offspring between Sesshou and Inuyasha would have been… perhaps even a little bit of Naraku thrown in for a punch.' _ she simply couldn't help it. The image was just too funny.

' **what the hell are you laughing at woman?**' Hiei asked in her mind rather than voicing his question.

'**nothing you would understand at the moment, Hiei. Personal humor.**' Without more being said they both closed their eyes and began to empty their minds. As they sat and meditated the energy they were focusing began to swirl about them, faint at first, then it began to grow exponentially. Kagome was surrounded by her pink and purple energy, which shifted it's shades and hues as I violently began to lash about her and envelop her in it's glow. In contrast Hiei's Energy was black, and as his energy replenished itself, red began to seep into the color as it too

fluctuated in shades and hues. Hiei's Jagan, being a separate entity kept it's self a wary look out for any attackers. Though the two Aura's glowed brighter and brighter, that did not mean that they were already at full power, in all actuality both Kagome and Hiei had a long way to go.

They both sat like this for hours, in and out as their Aura's slowly began to expand until they stood at the boundary of touching each other's energy. The energies met, and began to flatten against each other, both avoiding an actual merge until the very last they could, for it would be their weakest point. Even the Jagan would not be able to warn Hiei of any dangers at this point. In an instantaneous flash their auras slashed out, far beyond their reach of their bodies, the colors an amazing array of reds, blacks, silvers, purples and blues. For a whole minute this continued on, the colors dancing a pa de deux as they were flung about, helping the harvest of energy from the elements around. The colors began to lose their vibrance as they began to retreat into their owner's bodies. As the last tendril was absorbed into the sitting pair both opened their eyes in sync.

" That went well" Kagome muttered with a small smile.

She was about ready to collapse, her body tired from exerting itself, and then reigning in so much power. She smiled sleepily and rose wearily. Hiei merely nodded in acknowledgement, also standing with little vigor. His eyes drooped, and he stumbled slightly. Sure, he felt more powerful than ever from this group meditation, but is body was so weary after such a day. He would sleep well tonight. As they walked into camp in a sleepy, but comfortable silence he glanced at the tree he had thought to sleep in.

That wasn't gonna happen. Too high up, and he doubted he'd wake up if he fell out of it, and probably wind up waking up half-dead from a neck injury. Best not to chance it. Quickly kicking all of the extra wood from last night's fire into a small pile and igniting it, he sat beneath the tree closest and promptly fell to sleep without so much as a word to Kagome. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was startled to find that it was night time once more. She wondered how long she had been out before Kurama revived the both of them.

If she could recall it was probably around two or three at that point, and then, convincing him to leave, then getting him to put it at five then meditating. It must have taken much longer than she and expected because her internal clock was saying ten pm; hmph. Her eye's drifted downward to the pull of gravity and then next thing she knew, the sun was angrily trying to fry her like and egg AND blind her. Birds were making an obnoxious racket throughout the forest and some other bugs were buzzing about. She groaned groggily burrowing deeper into her sleeping bag. Which was, much to her dismay, like an oven. She sighed and peeled the heavy fabric back from her body, subjecting her pale legs to the sun's deadly rays.

"Hiei?" she muttered, wondering if was already awake.

"yes, onna?" he muttered back, also trying to hid from the terrible, terrible sun.

" What did we say about the name?" she asked preparing her body to stand, in a half-hearted annoyed tone.

"something ridiculously pointless, I'm sure." he smirked, celebrating the small victory in his head.

"Oh shut up, Hiei." she grinned standing to her full height, not that that was all that much. Then again, who was here to make fun of her for it? The little spit-fire over there? Hardly. Kagome grabbed her compact when it started to beep at her, telling her somebody on the other side wanted her attention. She rolled her eyes and opened it.

"Welcome to the forest, what animal can we send to maim you?" she asked, looking totally serious, well, except for her smirk. "Yo, how about a cat and a fire demon? You can ship em' right to the school!" Yusuke replied, glaring at the two.

"You guys were supposed to be here two hours ago!" he grumbled, annoyed that HE was at school when THEY were skipping. That didn't seem fair at all.

"Sorry about that Yusuke, something happened the night before last with some random demon, I'm surprised Kurama didn't tell you guys yesterday." she looked into the compact questioningly.

"Yhea, well he said you be back by today. Speaking of, have you guys seen him since that night or heard from him? He gave us a ring on the compact to let everyone know what went down and then he didn't even show up the next day!"

"The fox is missing?" Hiei hissed, immediately trying to call out to him with his mind. No dice.

"Great." Kagome muttered, rubbing her now throbbing temples. Somewhere in the back of everyone's mind came a chilling laughter, one that was just _utterly_ amused with himself. Of course, this alarmed everyone.

--

Kurama was perplexed. On moment he was just about to pass out on his bed and the next he's standing among cogs and wheels, all of them turning at a furious pace. Then, that laughter, the same from last night. Without understanding why a name came to mind and mouth, resounding in everyone's minds in the same bleak place the laughter appeared.

"_Drosselmeyer"_

_-----------------------------------_

_Mwhahaha end of this chapter, kind of short by my standards, but hey, you're getting your story, aren't you?_

Not much to be said down here for once, So here's a song and were off!

"Dancer in the Dark"

Rasmus

_Fate Lies ahead_

_  
Like the Sun will Rise_

_  
The Light has been gone_

_  
Far to long from your eyes  
_

_  
But you never changed _

_  
Never played your part_

_  
And you have erased_

_  
All the fear from your heart_

__

And tried to forget

__

The light in your eyes is fading out

_  
Nights falling deeper in the heart_

_  
Hiding the truth and crashing down_

_  
My baby's a dancer in the dark_

__

You've seen it all

_  
You dont mind going blind_

_  
You've seen it all_

_  
All the wonders of Life_

__

Run to your boy

_  
Dont conceal your scars_

_  
Run to your boy_

_  
And let him feel your love_

__

Before it's too late

__

The light in your eyes keeps fading out

_  
Nights falling deeper in the heart_

_  
Hiding the truth and crashing down_

_  
My baby's a dancer in the dark_

__

Your sight is dying but you keep on trying to save your boy

_  
You keep on lying but your false illusions will be destroyed_

__

You heard it calling, but you turned your face, never played your part

_  
Your heart ain't singing, but you dance away like a falling star_

__

Dancer in the Dark 

_  
Dancer in the Dark_

_  
Dancer in the Dark_

_  
Dancer in the Dark_

_**Minna-san : Let the Credits Roll!**_


	8. Note to the Readers Effective Imm

**Alright, guys.**

**I've decided I simply cannot continue this story in such a fashion.**

So, I'm revising it. Heavy-duty-like.

I can't read my own story without laughing at it, and that's just sad.

Right-o. I'm starting on that right now. If you want the original chapters Send me an email and I'll save them for you and email them or whatnot.

I won't post these revisions until I've caught up and continued on.

The princess Tu Tu part will be edited out, because I don't feel like keeping that up, either.

I'm estimating that it will take me eitehr four or eight chapters to catch up properly, and I'll perhaps write another two as a catch up.

Just kinda depends. I'm toying with making the chapters shorter, and in general better, in hopes that i'll write more because of that. I dunno. Like I said, We'll see.

Please email me If you'd like to help (and keep my nose to the grindstone on this) or if you have any comments or ideas.

Let the Restoration of Supreme Faith Begin!


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